


City of Death

by ForeverFlamingFire



Series: Alternative Stravaganza (Mary Hoffman) [2]
Category: Stravaganza - Mary Hoffman
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 06:58:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 48,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6971842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForeverFlamingFire/pseuds/ForeverFlamingFire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the brother of one of Aaron's friends commits suicide, Luciano, Sky and Nick go to Brighton with Aaron as a support system</p><p>You don't have to read "City of Murders" before you read this, but it may make some pieces/scenes more clear</p><p>Originally published on FanFiction.net 2011-2012</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_Brighton Pier_

_"Bradley! No!” Zak Reid called out. “It’s too dangerous.”_

_Eighteen-year-old Bradley Russell turned around from his position atop the concrete railing at Brighton Pier. Running down the pier towards him were his younger brother, Riley, followed by his friends Zak Reid, Blake Powell and Connor Lloyd._

_“It’ll be fine,” said Bradley._

_"Bradley,” said Riley. “Please don’t do this.”_

_“I have to prove myself, Riley. I have to.”_

_“You don’t have to prove yourself to me or any of us,” Riley pleaded. “You don’t know what’s going to happen down there.”_

_“I know what you’re thinking, Ri,” said Bradley, jumping off the concrete railing. “But I’m not going to die. I’m going to be in control.”_

_“You’re jumping to your death, Brad,” said Blake Powell. “Why can’t you see that?”_

_“Because I have to do this,” Bradley insisted. “At least for myself, if for no one else.”_

_“It’s too dangerous,” said Zak, again._

_"You don’t need to prove yourself,” Connor Lloyd added. “You have our respect.”_

_“You’re too young to understand any of this, all of you, but particularly you, Ri,” said Bradley._

_“Brad! Please! I’m your brother! You don’t have anything to prove to me!” Riley screamed, trying to make his brother see sense and not make a scene on the crowded pier._

_"I have to do this, Riley,” said Bradley. He walked away from Riley and his friends. He swung himself up onto the edge of the concrete pier. Everywhere, people looked at Bradley Russell. Bradley took a deep breath and looked back at Riley. “I love you, Riley.”_

_“Bradley! No!” Riley screamed. Zak held Riley back. Bradley turned away from his brother, took another breath and jumped. Riley screamed and tore himself away from Zak. He raced to the side. He looked over the edge. He couldn’t see Bradley anywhere in the water. Zak, Connor and Blake came up behind him. They looked over the concrete wall into the ocean._

_They had turned away and were walking back, when a boy called out to them._

_“Wait! I see something!” The foursome turned and raced back to the concrete wall. They looked over the edge. What they saw brought a hush over the crowd at Brighton Pier._

_“No!” Riley screamed. He sank against Zak. “Bradley.”_

_“I’m so sorry,” said Connor, as he and Blake knelt next to Riley and Zak._


	2. Chapter One

Aaron Burns jolted awake. He had had a dream. It had had something to do with Brighton. His new friends Sky Meadows and Nick Duke had both been there. But there had also been someone else. Someone people had known to be dead for three years. His name was Lucien Mulholland, better known to Aaron, Sky and Nick as Luciano Crinamorte. A half formed plan raced through his head. His parents were going to France for two weeks and he’d be living with Sky. The summer holidays were going to start in two weeks and Aaron couldn’t wait to go back to Brighton and see the friends he’d left behind when he and his parents had moved to Islington. The move had turned out better than Aaron had suspected, but he also wanted to return to Brighton. After two years inland, he needed to see the sea again. As his plan became more fully formed in his mind, his mobile rang.

“Hello?”

_“Hey, Aaron, it’s Nick. Sky and I are meeting in ten at the café. Wanna come?”_

“Are you crazy?” asked Aaron. “Of course I want to. Just let me throw some clothes on so I don’t look like I just rolled out of bed.”

_“Let me guess, you over slept.”_

“My alarm broke. Haven’t had time to fix it. See you in ten.” Aaron hung up, before Nick could bombard him about his broken alarm clock which hadn’t worked since Christmas, when Sky had accidentally – or on purpose, Aaron was never sure – dropped the alarm clock in the water they had been meaning to use for pasta, which Sky had thought it better to use it to fry Aaron’s ancient alarm clock.

Aaron shook his head to clear it, jumped in the shower for five minutes – just long enough to let the spray thoroughly soak through his matted blonde hair and run a bar of soap over himself – and threw on a pair of jeans and an old band t-shirt that he dug out of the pile of dirty clothes piling up in his room. He’d need to do some laundry soon. _Later. Just don’t come in my room, Mum_ he thought as he grabbed iPod and cell and stashed them in the pockets of his jeans.

***

Aaron headed to the café. He was about to go inside, when he heard voices.

“Yo! Aaron! Over here!” Nick called. Aaron turned. Sky and Nick were sitting at a table.

“What are you doing this summer?” asked Sky, as Aaron sat down.

“I’m going back to Brighton,” said Aaron.

“It’s going to be so boring without you,” said Sky.

“You have Talia,” said Aaron. “And Luciano.”

“Yes, but...” Nick started.

“I have a better idea than you staying in Islington,” said Aaron, interrupting Nick. “You can come with me to Brighton.”

“Really?” asked Nick.

“Of course,” said Aaron. “You can meet my friends there as well. Oh, and I want Luciano to come as well.”

“How is that going to work?” asked Sky.

“He’s a genius,” said Aaron. “He’ll figure it out.”

***

“Let me get this straight,” said Luciano. “You want me to come with you to Brighton for a week?”

“Yes,” said Aaron. “You’ve never been to Brighton. You won’t be recognized. You can pass yourself off as another of my friends from Islington.”

“I’m not sure,” said Luciano.

“Oh come on, Luciano,” said Sky. “Come to Brighton with us.”

Aaron, Nick and Sky were in Rodolfo’s palazzo. Well, to be more precise, they were in Luciano’s rooms within Rodolfo’s palazzo. They sat on the couches and chairs in the sitting room, while Luciano tried to figure out how he could go with them to Brighton.

“I supposed I could lie to Rodolfo,” said Luciano at last.

“Do you really think that will work?” asked Sky.

“No,” replied Luciano. “But it’s the best I got.”

***

Three days later, Sky, Aaron, Nick and Luciano were in the Islington train station, waiting for a train to take them to London and from there, to take them to Brighton. Nick glanced up at the departures board.

“Shit,” Nick swore.

“What is it?” asked Sky.

“We just missed our train,” said Luciano, who had also been looking the departures board.

“Well when’s the next one?” asked Sky.

“Uhhhhhhhh,” said Luciano, scanning the rest of the board. “Fifteen minutes.”

“I’d better call Riley,” said Aaron.

“Who’s Riley?” asked Sky.

“Oh,” said Aaron, as he pressed ‘Call’. “He’s one of my friends. His older brother, Bradley is going to drive us to Conner’s place. He has this amazing barn where we’re going to be staying.”

“ _Aaron,” said Riley._

“Riley!” Aaron exclaimed. “We’re in the train station in Islington.”

_“I thought you were taking the earlier train,” said Riley._

“We missed it,” said Aaron.

“By five minutes,” Luciano added. “Thanks for that Nick.”

“How is it my fault?” asked Nick.

“Nick! Luc! Shut it!” Aaron snapped.

_“Aaron,” said Riley. “What’s going on?”_

“Two of my friends are acting out on the platform,” said Aaron.

_"This’ll be fun,” said Riley._

“Yeah, I’m sure it will be,” said Aaron. “How’s Bradley?”

_“He’s...” Riley trailed off. “Fine.”_

“Riley, tell me what’s really going on with Brad,” said Aaron.

_“Riley!” yelled a voice._

_“I’ve gotta go. Zak, Connor, Blake and I are going down to Brighton Pier.”_

“You better be back in time to get us from Brighton Station.”

_“Don’t worry, Aaron,” Riley replied. “We’ll be there on the platform when your train pulls in.”_

“Good.”

“Aaron!” Luciano called. “Our train’s here! Get off your mobile!”

_“Aaron...”_

“I have to go to, Riley,” said Aaron. Aaron hung up. He looked around. He saw Luciano, Sky and Nick on the other side of the turnstiles.

“Aaron!” Nick called. “Come on! We’re going to miss it!” Aaron whisked out his card, zapped it through the stile and joined Luciano, Nick and Sky on the other side. Luciano led the way onto the train.

***

The foursome hurried down several cars, before they found a group of four seats together. Luciano and Sky took the windows. Nick sat next to Sky and Aaron sat next to Luciano. Sitting across from Nick, gave Luciano a chance to study him. He looked like he hadn’t slept in several days and he looked like shit.

“You look like shit,” said Aaron, voicing Luciano’s thoughts. Luciano had to admire Aaron. That boy said whatever came to his mind, no matter what the consequences. Luciano could see both the good and the bad of having such a quality.

“Thanks ever so,” Nick replied.

“Aaron’s right,” said Luciano. “Use this time to sleep. I’ll wake you when we get to Waterloo.”

“Thanks,” Nick muttered and promptly fell asleep. Luciano smiled. It must have taken a great amount of restraint on Nick’s part to not fall asleep. Luciano knew what it felt like to be that tired, though in his case it hadn’t been caused by severe sleep loss. It had been caused by that dratted cancer that had crept in and both stolen and ruined his life.

Sky and Aaron both looked at Luciano. It was obvious he was in an area of his memories that he didn’t want Sky or Aaron to see. His eyes were closed, but he wasn’t sleeping. He lay quietly, head leaning back against the red seat back.

“Who do you blame for being late?” asked Sky.

“No one,” said Aaron.

“Really?”

“Yes,” said Aaron. “I blame myself.”

“And why would that be?”

 “I was the one who was late. You, Nick and Luc were all on time.”

“Too true.”

“You’re supposed to disagree,” said Luciano, breaking the silence.

“What do you mean?” asked Sky.

Luciano’s eyes popped open. “It means that since Aaron is blaming himself for this, you’re supposed to blame me, Nick or yourself, but don’t agree with Aaron that it was his fault.

“You are aware that makes no sense, right?” asked Sky.

“It’s English,” Luciano replied. “It’s not supposed to make sense.”

***

The train ride continued. As it pulled into London Waterloo, Luciano woke Nick. He still looked pale, but he looked much more refreshed and a little less tired then when they’d gotten on the train in Islington.

“This is London Waterloo. All passengers please alight here.” The woman’s voice floated through the PA system as Luciano, Nick, Aaron and Sky gathered their things and left the train.

Luciano bought tickets for the next train to Brighton, and the foursome ran off to catch their train knowing full well that there was a likely chance the train would be crowded. As they arrived on the platform, Sky and Nick noticed the star fencer from one of their rival schools. Sky glared him. His name was Chad Evans and he was the only person besides Nick to have ever beaten Sky. Theirs was a strained relationship. He, Nick and Chad had gotten along for a while. Until that is, Nick and Chad had met in the finals and everything had gone downhill from there.

As Luciano, Nick, Aaron and Sky slid into their seats, Sky and Nick observed Chad getting on with two of his friends. One of them, looked over and pointed at Sky and Nick. Chad walked over.

“Duke, Meadows,” Chad greeted.

“Evans,” Sky replied coldly.

“Answer me,” Chad hissed.

“Evans,” Nick hissed in return.

“Thought this would be nice?” asked Chad.

“No,” Nick replied. “We didn’t think running into you would be nice at all.”

“I would suggest you leave,” said Luciano.

“Who’s this?” asked Chad, turning to Luciano.

“I can introduce myself, Evans,” said Luciano. His voice took on the same cold tone as Nick and Sky, even though he’d never spoken to Chad in his life. “I’m Lucien Mulholland.”

Chad staggered back from Luciano. “But... but... but you’re dead.”

“Do I look dead to you?” asked Luciano.

“No,” whispered Chad.

“I suggest you leave,” continued Luciano calmly.

“Did you not hear him?” asked Aaron. “He said leave.” By this time, Luciano, Aaron, Nick and Sky were all standing, facing Chad and his three friends.

“Leave! Now!” Luciano snapped.

***

The train ride continued without further incident or meeting with Chad Evans. He disembarked at the stop before Brighton, which hopefully meant that they wouldn’t have to deal with him for the rest of the trip.

“Chad reminds me a little of Gina,” said Nick.

“Who’s Gina?” asked Luciano.

“She’s this girl in art,” said Aaron. “She spilled green paint on my painting.”

“Is that how her hair became black, blonde and green?” asked Sky.

“How did you know about that?” asked Aaron.

“We saw her later that day,” Sky explained. “It looked terrible.”

“It also gave us a built in excuse to ditch her,” said Nick. “Thanks for that.”

“What do you care?” Aaron asked.

“She’s been wanting to date either me or Nick,” Sky replied.

“And what may be her reason?” Luciano asked.

“We’re the best fencers in the school,” said Sky. “She wants to date us just because of that.”

“So in other words, she’s a jerk,” Luciano concluded.

“Yes!” Nick snapped. “And I want nothing to do with her!”


	3. Chapter Two

The train pulled into Brighton Station. As the train passed a pole, Luciano saw a group of four boys were gathered around it. Two of them were leaning against the pole and the other two were in the midst of a conversation. One of the boys leaning against the pole looked to be asleep, and the other had plugged into his iPod. All four looked like they were suffering from sheer boredom.

Luciano turned away from the window and reached across the table in between the two facing seats.

“Nick, Nick,” said Luciano. “Wake up, we’re in Brighton.” Nick had fallen asleep between Waterloo and Brighton. It was obvious that he was still tired from his lack of sleep the night before. Nick started awake.

“Where are we?” Nick murmured.

“Brighton,” said Aaron, as he and Sky slid out of their seats, grabbing their bags, to allow Nick and Luciano to slide out after them.

Luciano, Nick and Sky followed Aaron across the platform to the group of four boys Luciano had observed as their train had pulled in.

“Riley!” Aaron screamed. The boy who had been listening to music on his iPhone turned.

“Aaron!” the boy greeted. The boy who looked like he had been asleep, looked at the foursome.

“Hey, Zak,” said Aaron.

“Aaron!” Zak exclaimed. “You’re here! Connor! Blake!” The two who had been deep in a conversation, turned.

“What?” asked one.

“Connor, Aaron’s back!” Riley exclaimed.

“Aaron?” asked the other.

“I’m back,” said Aaron. “It’s really me.”

“You brought guests?” asked the second.

“It’s not against the law, Blake,” the first one whispered back.

“I know that, Connor!” Blake snapped.

“Connor’s truck is out front,” said Riley.

“Let’s go,” said Aaron. “We can do introductions on the way, I want to see the water.”

“It’s so nice this year,” Zak sighed, as they left the station.

“I went in this morning,” said Connor.

“And I had to save you,” said Zak. “You floated out into the middle of the ocean, man.”

***

When they arrived outside. Connor headed directly to a dirty truck that had once been robin’s egg blue in color. Conner and Blake slid into the cab, leaving Aaron, Zak, Riley, Luciano, Sky and Nick in the truck bed.

“I’m Riley Russell,” said Riley as Connor swung out into the road.

“Zak Reid,” Zak greeted, his eyes were closed again.

“Blake Powell!” Blake yelled out the open passenger side window.

“Connor Lloyd!” Connor yelled out the other window.

“And who are you?” asked Zak, eyes still closed.

“We’re Aaron’s friends from Islington,” said Luciano. “I’m Lucien Mulholland.”

“Sky Meadows.”

“Nick Duke.”

No one spoke for the rest of the ride from Brighton Station to Brighton Pier.

***

As Connor swung into a parking spot near Brighton Pier, the six people in the back were already gathering their things and preparing to jump out. Connor parked and he and Blake got out like normal people while Luciano, Sky, Nick, Aaron, Riley and Zak jumped out of the back. Aaron, Riley and Zak ran straight for the water without waiting. Aaron it seemed had forgotten his friends from Islington existed.

“Is he always like this?” Sky asked.

“Only around water,” was Connor’s reply. Connor and Blake led Sky, Luciano and Nick to their spot. Aaron, Riley and Zak were already there and Aaron was preparing to jump.

“Wait,” said Connor. “We should all jump together.” Aaron jumped down backwards.

“Right,’ said Aaron. “I forgot we used it do that.” Aaron jumped down and glanced around. “Riley, where’s Brad?”

“Who?” asked Sky.

“My brother,” Riley replied, before turning back to Aaron. “I think he said something about hanging out with his friends.”

“So will we see him?” asked Aaron.

“Hard to know,” Riley replied. “He never tells me anything anymore. I’m not really sure what’s going on.”

“Is something wrong?” asked Aaron, detecting that Riley could be lying to him.

“No,” Riley replied. “Nothing’s wrong, just me and Brad have been separating a little this summer.”

“You used to be close,” said Aaron.

“Yeah, well, that changed!” Riley snapped.

“Riley,” said Aaron, grabbing Riley’s arm. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, Aaron,” said Riley. “So leave me alone!” Riley turned and ran off the pier. Zak raced after him. Aaron turned to Connor and Blake.

“What is it with him?” asked Aaron.

“He’s been like this for a couple weeks now,” said Blake.

“I’m guessing he’s usually not like this,” said Nick.

“This is definitely a recent development,” said Luciano.

“All I want to do is get in the water,” Sky stated.

“Watch us,” said Connor. Connor, Blake and Aaron got on the rim of the concrete pier.

“Ready?” asked Blake.

“Ready,” called Connor and Aaron from either side. Blake nodded. As one, Connor, Blake and Aaron jumped off the pier.

Aaron tilted his head back to look up and Luciano, Sky and Nick who were hanging over the edge of the pier. “Come on in!”

Luciano took Conner’s spot on the pier, took a breath and jumped before Sky and Nick could join him.

“Thanks,” Nick called down, the moment Luciano’s head popped back up.

“You were too slow,” Luciano called back.

“Let’s do this,” said Sky. Nick nodded and the two of them joined Connor, Aaron, Blake and Luciano in the water.

Connor, Aaron, Blake, Luciano, Nick and Sky spent the afternoon in the water. They jumped off the pier several times and Connor and Blake challenged Luciano to a race, which was a mistake on their part, because Luciano won it without any trouble at all. Just as they were about to jump in for a last time, Zak and Riley showed up again.

“Sorry about that,” said Riley.

“It’s cool,” said Luciano.

“Want to take one last jump in with us?” asked Aaron.

“Sure,” said Zak. “Ri, you in?”

“I don’t think so,” Riley replied.

“Come on,” said Connor.

“We want you to,” said Aaron.

“Do it,” Blake added.

“Fine, fine, I’ll do it,” said Riley.

“Good,” said Zak.

The eight of them got on the concrete ledge of the pier.

“One,” said Zak.

“Two,” said Connor.

“Three!” Riley yelled, his voice echoing back up to them from the rocks below. Eight loud splashes sounded up onto the dock as all eight jumped in at the exact same time.

All over the pier people looked down into the water. Waves had splashed up on the pier, making for some very wet passersby. When they appeared out of the water, people turned away. They didn’t want to face Riley Russell after the death of his brother, Bradley. As Riley stormed toward the surface, he was drawn back.

***

_Bradley turned his back on his brother and his brother’s friends. He climbed onto the concrete ledge of the pier._

_“No! Brad! Don’t!” Riley screamed. Bradley turned his back on Riley and jumped. Riley screamed again. He was ready to jump over the wall after his brother. Zak stopped him._

_Ri, don’t,” said Zak warningly. The next second, Riley had ripped himself away from Zak. Riley rushed over to the side and looked over. Bradley hadn’t appeared again. Shock waves rolled Riley as the reality started to take hold. He couldn’t believe it. His older brother, striding ahead of him through life, always there, was no longer. Bradley Russell was dead._

***

“I’ve got you,” said Luciano. “It’s going to be okay.” For a second, Riley tried to rip himself away, but Luciano supported him to the wall. “It’ll be okay. Calm down,” instructed Luciano. Riley came out of his reverie. Kneeling before him on the rock was a stranger.

“Who are you?” asked Riley.

“It’s all right,” said Luciano. “I’m Lucien Mulholland. I’m one of Aaron’s friends from Islington.” Riley looked at Luciano. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“I suppose,” Riley whispered. “I don’t...”

“It happens to everyone,” said Luciano, soothingly. “It’s happened to me. You’re going be fine.”

In no time at all, they had all congregated again on the concrete pier. Riley had forgotten that he’d had a moment. He still refused to go into more detail about his brother, but Nick, Sky and Luciano didn’t think anything of it until Aaron dragged them off on the pretext of wanting to buy them food and not knowing what they wanted.

“This isn’t about food, Aaron,” said Nick. “What’s this really about?”

“It’s about Riley,” said Aaron. “I think he’s hiding something.”

“We just met him,” said Luciano.

“You guys seemed to be pretty close,” said Sky.

“He had a panic attack,” said Luciano, defending both him and Riley, before Sky and Nick could accuse them of something.

“I still think he’s hiding something,” said Aaron. “And he doesn’t want to tell me. But I feel it has something to do with the fact that usually Bradley’s on the beach with us and not off with his own friends. He always seemed closer to Connor, Zak and Blake than his own, so he always would hang out with us, even though his so-called friends didn’t understand.”

“Do you think it’s serious?” asked Sky.

“Yes,” said Aaron, without hesitation. “I think he might...”

“Don’t think like that, Aaron,” said Luciano. He knew full well what Aaron had been about to say and he didn’t really want to have another conversation about death. He’d been having a lot of those recently.

“I know you don’t want to talk about death, Lucien,” said Aaron. “But I think that Bradley died and Riley doesn’t want to tell me.”

“Are you sure?” asked Sky.

“Of course I’m not!” Aaron snapped. “I just have a feeling that Bradley’s not with his friends.”

“He could be somewhere else,” Nick suggested.

“He’s not,” said Luciano. “I’m getting the same vibe.”

***

As Luciano, Nick, Sky, Aaron, Blake, Connor, Zak and Riley sprawled on Connor’s basement floor, Luciano dozed. He shook himself awake. It wouldn’t do to Stravagant back to Talia with Connor, Blake, Zak and Riley around, so when Zak took one look at Luciano, and told him to lie down, Luciano looked pointedly at Sky.

“Sky,” said Luciano, as he stood and started for the door. Sky and Riley followed suit.

“Follow me,” said Riley and led the way out the door.

Riley led Luciano and Sky into a small room, and then left them to it. The moment they were alone, Luciano collapsed on the bed with a sigh of relief. He didn’t have to put up the charade any longer.

“Luc!” Sky exclaimed. He knelt on the bed next to his friend.

“I’m fine,” Luciano muttered. “Just tired.”

“Get some sleep,” said Sky. “Come back when you can.”

Luciano gave a brief, awkward nod before falling away into dreamland. Sky surveyed the room. It was small and bare, but the bed was piled high with blankets. Sky threw a few of the lightest ones over Luciano before exiting the room.


	4. Chapter Three

Luciano zapped back to Bellezza. He threw the talisman in a random direction, rolled over, and returned to the Land of Nod. The moment his eyes shut, he was rocked by a terrible dream.

***

_Luciano was walking down a hallway in Bellezza. A spot of blood appeared on the stone steps. As he climbed, the stone steps became awash with blood. A dark figure appeared in front of him. Luciano rushed after the figure._

_“Wait! Stop! Who are you? Show yourself!” Luciano called._

_“You know me, Luciano,” said the figure, drawing back his hood._

_“You,” Luciano breathed._

_“Yes,” said Rinaldo d’Chimici. Luciano turned and raced back up the passage, Rinaldo d’Chimici in his wake. “You won’t get away from me.”_

_“I will get away from you,” Luciano whispered. “You’ll never get me. You’ll always live in my shadow. I’m so much more powerful than you.”_

_“Your powers are nothing!” Rinaldo spun a dagger toward Luciano. Luciano ducked and the dagger went sailing over his head. Rinaldo swore._

_Luciano unsheathed his sword and twirled it through the air. “You’re going to have to do better than that,” he hissed._

_“You are nothing to me,” Rinaldo whispered, unsheathing his own. He knocked Luciano’s sword out of his way and punched Luciano._

_Luciano raised his head. “You lying, cheating demon,” Luciano whispered. “You should know better than this, Rinaldo d’Chimici.”_

_“You should’ve died three years ago. That should’ve been you’re destiny.”_

***

“Luciano! Luciano Crinamorte!” Luciano heard someone calling. He had no idea who was calling to him, but he pulled himself out of sleep. Arianna stood over him.

“Che l'è? Che vuole lei? Perché lei è qui?” Luciano muttered.

“Niente non ha torto, Luciano. Lei gridava nel suo sonno,” said Arianna.

“Arianna,” Luciano murmured.

“Luciano, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Arianna questioned, worry floating through her voice.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Luciano replied. “Just tired.”

“Don’t lie to me, Luciano,” said Arianna, forcing Luciano to meet his eyes. “I know you had a bad dream and I know it had to do with Rinaldo d’Chimici.”

“It’s getting worse,” Luciano muttered.

“You shouldn’t be Stravaganting if you’re so tired.”

“I know,” Luciano whispered. “But there was something I just had to do. I had to be with Sky, Aaron and Nick in England. They needed me for something and I’m still needed there.” Luciano paused, looking into Arianna’s eyes. “Do me a favor, Arianna, don’t let Rodolfo see me like this. Can you and Cesare cover for me?”

“Do you really want Cesare to know what’s happening?”

“Look,” said Luciano. “I feel partially responsible for what happened to Paolo. I don’t want to live with that regret. I’m trying to make it up to him, Arianna, can’t you see that?”

“Sì, Luciano,” said Arianna. “Capisco che lei passano attraverso. Rammarico delle cose che ho fatta a Tommaso ed Angelo. Mi rammarico che io in Bellezza sul Giorno Vietato e che avrei potuto prendere entrambi loro in difficoltà.”

“Poi lei capisce perché questo è così importante a me e perché lei non può dire Rodolfo. Se scopre Stravagating quando sono stancato, sarà così matto. “

“Poi la prometto, Luciano, non dirò Rodolfo dove lei è. “

“Grazie, Arianna,” Luciano whispered, before drifting off.

Arianna looked at Luciano. Even after three years, he still wasn’t entirely different from the ill fifteen-year-old she had met and saved from the tower where he’d been imprisoned by the d’Chemici. Arianna kept her gaze on Luciano.

“Quando lei ritorna, Luciano, sarò tuttavia qui. Sarò sempre qui per lei. Quando lei è pronto a ritornare, sarò qui. Starò qui per sempre. Non sono in una fretta, Luciano,” Arianna whispered to her friend. In his sleep, Luciano smiled.

***

When Luciano returned to Brighton, he went straight to the pier, after realizing that they’d all fled. He crashed through Connor’s door and ran to the pier, where Connor, Riley, Zak, Blake and Aaron were watching Sky and Nick jump, but Sky had looked back just before his jump and had caught sight of Luciano.

“Lucien!” Sky yelled. Aaron broke away from his friends and Sky and Nick jumped from the railing to the concrete.

“All right there, Lucien?” asked Nick.

“Yeah,” was Lucien’s reply. “Go back to what you were doing.”

Shrugging, Nick, Sky and Aaron joined Connor, Zak, Blake and Riley in the water. As they went down, Nick’s scream of: “Look out!” made the foursome in the water scatter. Lucien’s laugh echoed down to those in the water.

Luciano looked over the side. For the first time in years, he was wondering what would’ve happened if he hadn’t gotten sick again, if he still lived mainly in this world. _It would make trips like this with Aaron, Sky and Nick easier._ Luciano reflected.

***

That night, Luciano had barely fallen asleep, when he was rocked by another nightmare.

_“We know what you are,” said Sky._

_“We don’t want you anywhere near us,” Aaron hissed._

_“Leave us forever, Luciano,” said Nick. “I regret meeting you more than anything. If you hadn’t talking me into this, I could still be with my brother.”_

_“I didn’t even do anything to any of you!” Luciano snapped. “What is your problem?”_

_“Our problem is you!” Sky snapped._

_“What did I do?” Luciano asked._

_“Nothing,” Aaron replied._

_"Then why are you shunning me?” asked Luciano._

_“Don’t you get it, Luciano?” asked Nick. “We never liked you. We only were there to save Talia.”_

_“We weren’t there for you, Luciano,” Sky hissed._

_Aaron punched him. Then Sky and Nick jumped at him and Luciano screamed._

***

Luciano jerked up. _This can’t be happening. It can’t be._ Luciano thought. He heard the door opening. He didn’t even face them. He got out of bed and gazed out the window onto the courtyard. It wasn’t Rodolfo or Arianna. It was just some random servant.

“Congedo!” Luciano snapped.

“Ho pensato l'ho sentito grida,” the servant replied.

“Era un sogno cattivo, mi parte solo!” snapped Luciano.

“Se lei...” the servant started.

“Non ho bisogno di niente!” Luciano snapped. “Non infastidirmi di nuovo! Congedo! Ora! Non voglio mai vedere la sua faccia di nuovo, lei stupido Bellezzan! Lasciare i suoi superiori nella pace!”

“Chi la sono?”

“Il di essere il Consorte di Duca di Bellezza e l'Assistente Ufficiale di Rodolfo Rossi.” Luciano replied. “Ora uscire dalla mia stanza!”

“Sono spiacente,” said the servant. “Non ho saputo. Ho sentito il grido.”

Luciano sighed, turning to face the servant.. “Sta bene. Ho avuto appena un sogno cattivo. Non dire Rodolfo di questo e rendermi Arianna.”

The servant nodded and left the room. A second later, Arianna swept in. Her long brown hair was braided messily out of her eyes and she wore only a nightgown and an untied robe thrown hastily on.

“Arianna,” Luciano breathed.

“What happened?” Arianna asked, forcing Luciano to sit.

“I dreamed it, Arianna. I dreamed they betrayed me. They hit me, Arianna. They hated me.” Luciano ran his fingers through his hair throwing the blackness into a violent disarray. “I don’t know if I can go back. I don’t know if I can face them.”

“Of course you can, Luciano,” said Arianna. “You’re so brave. You saved my mother when she was just the Duchessa to you, a distant figure in your life. You’ve done so much for everyone here, Luciano. You’ve helped all of them. They’re not going to betray you.”

“If they do it for real, I don’t think I can survive that.”

“You won’t have to, Luciano,” Arianna replied. “Now get some rest. I don’t want you dying diving into the water.”

“Grazie,” Luciano whispered.

“Prego, il mio amore, il mio uno, il mio Luciano,” Arianna whispered back. The door shut behind her, leaving Luciano in darkness.

***

“Where’s Luciano?” asked Riley.

“Yeah,” said Connor. “I haven’t seen him around.”

“He’s probably still disoriented and tired,” said Nick.

“You think?” asked Zak.

“He’s my friend, Zak!” Aaron snapped.

“Jeez, Aaron,” said Blake. “What’s gotten into you recently?”

“Give him a break,” said Sky. “There have been some really crazy things going on in London.”

“Things that you’re never going to know.” Everyone turned. Standing in the doorway, looking like he’d been there the whole time was Luciano.

“Lucien! You’re back!” Said Sky.

“Yeah,” Luciano replied.

“How ya feeling?” asked Riley.

“All right,” said Luciano. It was a blatant lie. From Luciano’s perspective, everything was spinning. He gripped the doorframe. Sky was the first to notice. By the time everyone else noticed that Luciano was lying, Sky was at his side.

“Don’t you lie to me, Luciano,” said Sky softly. “I don’t think I could deal with it if you lied to me again.”

“I’m...”

“Don’t say ‘sorry’, Luciano,” said Nick.

“Where have you been?” asked Zak.

“You look like you’ve been through hell and back,” Connor added.

“Return to Talia,” Aaron whispered in Luciano’s ear. Luciano tried to acknowledge Aaron’s voice with a nod, but he was drowning in the swirling colors.

“What’s his problem?” asked Blake.

“Stop being rude, Blake,” said Riley. “He can sleep...” Riley took a breath. _Bradley forgive me_. Riley thought before speaking again: “In Bradley’s room.”

“I’ll help,” said Connor. “Coming Riley?” Riley nodded and led the way, while Connor hung back to be with Luciano, Sky, Nick and Aaron.

***

“What’s his deal?” asked Connor, the moment they had arrived in Bradley’s room and Luciano was asleep.

“Honestly?” asked Nick.

“Does it look like I’m serious?” asked Connor.

“Lie,” Luciano breathed in his sleep.

“Rest,” Aaron whispered, his voice floating through the room.

“It’s a mystery we’ve never been able to figure out,” said Sky. “It’s happened the entire time we’ve been growing up. We never knew what it was or what was causing it.”

“What happens?” asked Connor.

“He just gets tired...” Nick started.

“And people keep thinking that there’s something even more seriously wrong with him,” Sky added.

“Look, can we just go down to the pier?” asked Riley.

“Sure,” said Connor. “Let’s go. Coming?”

“Yeah,” said Nick.

“Sure,” said Sky.

“I...” Aaron started.

“You’re coming,” interrupted Riley.

“And we’re bringing Luciano,” said Connor. Nick, Aaron and Sky exchanged looks.

“No! Let me go! Let me go!” Luciano screamed.

“Lucien!” Aaron screamed. “Wake up!”

“No! Let me go! Let go of me you bastards! You bastards! Let me go! What did I ever do to you? Bastards, let me go!”

“Lucien! Lucien!” screamed Sky.

“Wake up!” screamed Nick.

“What?” Luciano murmured. “Where am I?”

“We’re in Brighton,” said Aaron. “You had a bad dream. You’re fine now, right?”

“Yeah, I heard something about the pier. Let’s go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Che l'è? Che vuole lei? Perché lei è qui? - What is it? What do you want? Why are you here?
> 
> Niente non ha torto, Luciano. Lei gridava nel suo sonno - Nothing is wrong, Luciano. You cried out in your sleep
> 
> Sì, Luciano, capisco che lei passano attraverso. Rammarico delle cose che ho fatta a Tommaso ed Angelo. Mi rammarico che io in Bellezza sul Giorno Vietato e che avrei potuto prendere entrambi loro in difficoltà - Yes, Luciano, I understand what you're going through. I regret the things I've done to Tommaso and Angelo. I regret that I was in Bellezza on the Forbidden Day and that I got them both in trouble
> 
> Poi lei capisce perché questo è così importante a me e perché lei non può dire Rodolfo. Se scopre Stravagating quando sono stancato, sarà così matto - Then you understand why this is so important to me and that Rodolfo can't know. I shouldn't be Stravaganting when I'm tired
> 
> Poi la prometto, Luciano, non dirò Rodolfo dove lei è - Then I promise, Luciano, I won't tell Rodolfo
> 
> Grazie, Arianna - Thank you, Arianna
> 
> Congedo - Leave
> 
> Ho pensato l'ho sentito grida - I thought I heard shouting
> 
> Era un sogno cattivo, mi parte solo! - It was a bad dream, it was only me!
> 
> Se lei... - If you...
> 
> Non ho bisogno di niente! Non infastidirmi di nuovo! Congedo! Ora! Non voglio mai vedere la sua faccia di nuovo, lei stupido Bellezzan! Lasciare i suoi superiori nella pace! - I don't need anything! Do not bother me again! Leave! Now! I don't ever want to see your face again, you stupid Bellezzan! Leave your superiors alone!
> 
> Chi la sono? - Who are you?
> 
> Il di essere il Consorte di Duca di Bellezza, il Cavaliere di Bellezza e l'Assistente Ufficiale di Rodolfo Rossi. Ora uscire dalla mia stanza! - I am the Duke Consort of Bellezza, a Knight of Bellezza and the Official Assistant of Rodolfo Rossi. Now get out of my room! 
> 
> Sono spiacente. Non ho saputo. Ho sentito il grido - I'm sorry. I didn't know. I heard the cry
> 
> Sta bene. Ho avuto appena un sogno cattivo. Non dire Rodolfo di questo e rendermi Arianna - It's fine. I had a bad dream. Don't tell Rudolfo about this and get me Arianna
> 
> Grazie - Thank you
> 
> Prego, il mio amore, il mio uno, il mio Luciano - Your welcome, my love, my one, my Luciano


	5. Chapter Four

Everyone looked at Luciano strangely as they clambered into Connor’s filthy pick-up. Connor and Blake took the cab, leaving Riley, Zak, Luciano, Sky, Nick and Aaron to arrange themselves in a way they wouldn’t get caught by the police.

“I don’t know why Blake insists on it being me and Zak who always brake the law,” said Riley.

They’ve been doing it for years, Ri,” said Aaron. “They’re not going to change now.”

“You’d think that they’d get tired of it,” said Zak.

“You really think Connor and Blake would get tired of this?” asked Luciano.

“We can hear everything you’re saying,” Blake yelled out the open window.

“And we really don’t regret it,” Sky called back.

Blake was saved from answering Sky with Connor swinging sharply into the parking lot of Brighton Beach. Even before Connor had pulled the truck to a complete stop, the six in the rear were gathering their towels and jumping out. Connor and Blake lost no time in following them onto the pier.

As they left the sidewalk and stepped onto the wooden pier, a police officer stopped them.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.

“Uh... the pier,” said Zak, as if it were completely obvious.

“Be careful,” came the warning.

“Aren’t we all?” asked Luciano, sarcasm flowing through his words.

The officer only glared at Luciano before allowing the friends to continue.

“What did you do to him?” asked Riley.

“Nothing,” Luciano replied, climbing onto the concrete wall.

“Are you sure...” Nick started.

“Stop worrying,” Luciano commanded, before turning and diving off the pier into the water below.         

“Do you believe him?” asked Blake roughly, looking at Sky, Nick and Aaron.

“Of course we do!” Nick snapped. “And you would do well to believe him as well!” With Nick’s words, Nick, Sky and Aaron dove off the pier after Luciano.

“Sorry, Blake,” said Riley. “I’m going to have to believe Nick on this one.”

“Me too,” said Connor.

“Me three,” Zak added. Blake glared at Riley, Connor and Zak who dove in to join Luciano, Aaron, Nick and Sky in the water. Blake stormed off, returning home.

Without Blake, all tension was released from the group. They were able to finally relax and Riley was actually able to fall asleep before Luciano rudely woke him up and only stopped when Sky told him Luciano had stopped him from drowning a second time.

“Do you actually like Blake, or do you just let him hang out with you?” Luciano, Riley, Connor, Sky, Aaron, Zak and Nick had abandoned the water after the same officer who had stopped him that morning had returned. They were now walking down the sidewalk, eating ice cream.

“He’s always been more Connor’s friend than me, Zak or Riley’s,” said Aaron.

“Why did we even let him in the group in the first place?” asked Zak.

“I think I talked you into it,” said Connor, looking guiltily at Riley, Zak and Aaron. “Not one of my proudest moments.”

“We all do things we’re not proud of,” said Nick. “Don’t put so much of the blame on yourself.”

“Nick’s right,” said Riley. “We should’ve been more resistant. We should never have let Blake in our group in the first place.”

“Are you going to tell him he’s out and to never come back?” asked Luciano.

“We’ve been through...” Zak started.

“Don’t let everything you’ve been through get in the way,” Sky interrupted. “I’ve let that get in the way of how I act in certain situations and it’s done nothing to help me.”

“Then are you going to help us get rid of Blake?” asked Connor.

 “Only if you want us too,” said Sky.

Luciano looked at Aaron. “What’s wrong?”

“Does it seem wrong to you?” Aaron finally asked.

“No,” said Riley firmly. “After you moved to London, Blake started getting out of hand. He started drinking and doing drugs and hanging out with kids from uni. We all tried to make him see sense, but he continued it. We understand what pushed him over the edge.”

“It was me,” Aaron whispered.

“What?” asked Zak.

Aaron took a breath. “Can we go back to Riley’s? I really don’t feel like making a major confession in public.”

“Sure,” said Riley.

“I call shotgun!” Zak screamed and hightailed it to Connor’s truck.

“Is he ever going to change?” asked Connor.

Riley and Aaron looked at each other. “No,” they replied together.

                                             ***

“All right, Aaron,” said Connor, the moment they were settled in Riley’s room. “Spill.”

“It’s pretty obvious Blake’s gay, right?” Aaron started.

“Yeah, so,” said Zak.

“Before I left, he confessed something to me,” said Aaron.

“Oh no,” said Luciano.

“Don’t tell me,” said Riley.

“He told me he loved me, plain and simple and he couldn’t let me move to London not knowing that. When I told him I wasn’t in love with him and that we were just friends, he got really angry and accused me of lying and not saying what I really felt. I tried to make him see, but Blake...he just stopped listening to me. He started screaming that he needed me to make sense of the world. He said that if he couldn’t have me, he might as well die and...”

“Don’t tell me he threatened you,” said Luciano.

“That’s exactly what he did,” came Aaron’s reply.

“And you kept this from us?” asked Zak.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Connor.

“We’re supposed to be your friends!” Riley raged.

“I always meant to,” said Aaron. “I just could never find the right time to mention it.”

“What about before you jetted off to London?” asked Connor.

“Look,” said Aaron. “I’m sorry all right. I didn’t know it was going to be such a big deal if I forgot to tell you.”

“All right,” said Riley. “We’re going to forgive you. But that doesn’t mean we’re happy with where this is all going.”

“Unlike them,” said Luciano. “We have no problems with the fact that you kept this a secret.”

“We all have secrets, Riley,” said Nick, glaring at Riley, Connor and Zak. “There’s no reason that Aaron can’t have secrets.”

“That’s right,” said Luciano. “I’ve kept so many things from my friends.” He looked at Aaron, Sky and Nick. “There are still things from my life in London that you still don’t know.”

“Are you ever going to tell us?” asked Sky.

“Maybe,” said Luciano mysteriously.

“Look, I know you didn’t tell us,” said Riley. “And I know that you had your reasons, Aaron. I’m ready to forgive you.”

“I’m sorry,” said Zak.

“We had no right to judge you about something we didn’t know about,” Connor added.

***

With Aaron’s confession and everyone else’s acceptance of it, they were now bonded. But Luciano could still feel an uneasy feeling reaching through the lines that crossed between Connor, Zak and Riley. Something terrible had happened, something that concerned Aaron, and Connor, Zak and Riley weren’t opening up about it. He needed to face them. Force them to tell him what was really going on here. He believed that everything that had happened between Blake and Aaron was true, but there was something else deeply hidden that Luciano knew he had to uncover for the sake of Aaron. He could tell that Aaron didn’t believe Riley’s excuses about Riley’s brother, Bradley not being there.

Luciano knew that there was something else there. Another thing that he’d have to uncover. There was something going on in Brighton, something that everyone but he and his friends knew about Bradley and Luciano was determined to uncover it for Aaron’s sake. Luciano could tell that Aaron hadn’t believed Riley’s words, but he also knew that he wouldn’t be able to force Riley, Connor or Zak to tell him if he didn’t force them to meet with him. Luciano ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. This trip wasn’t turning out relaxing at all.


	6. Chapter Five

Blake Powell stormed out of his house. He could hear his mother calling for him to stop. He ignored her. He didn’t have the time to be paying attention to his mother. He couldn’t. He had more important things to do. He knew he had acted badly on the pier. He knew that his actions were wrong and that he truly didn’t believe any of it. He had always known that Aaron just saw him as friend. That wasn’t his problem. His problem stemmed from how he’d acted the day before on the pier. He didn’t want to be thrown out of the group all together. He wanted to stay in it. Riley, Aaron, Zak and Connor had been his best friends for years, and Connor had been his only friend until Riley, Aaron and Zak had shown up in his life. How they were friends, Blake still couldn’t say for sure, but something had bonded the five of them together. When Riley’s older brother, Bradley had started hanging out with them, instead of boys closer to his own age, Blake had just taken like Bradley was an older brother to them all, not just Riley, even though Riley was the only one he was related to.

***

Luciano Crinamorte was lounging on the sand with Aaron, Nick, Sky, Riley, Connor and Zak when he felt someone behind him. He whirled. Standing behind him was Blake.

“What are you doing here?” Zak snapped.

“Look,” said Blake. “You have every right to be angry me. You have every right to never want to speak to me again. Just hear me out.”

“Tell your tale of woe,” spat Nick. “We know the truth.”

“Well that makes this easier,” said Blake.

“Just tell us what’s going on, right now,” said Luciano.

“I’m sorry,” said Blake. “I’m sorry for what I did yesterday. I acted like a jerk. There was no reason for that. I’m sorry.” He turned to Aaron. “I didn’t exactly tell you I was in love with you in the best way.”

“You weren’t sure if you’d see me again...” Aaron started.

“What are you doing?” Zak interrupted.

“Let him talk,” said Luciano. “Don’t interrupt him again.”

Zak, Riley and Connor looked at each other. From the looks, Luciano could tell that they were all thinking the same thing. They didn’t want to trust Blake. He’d lost their trust, but somehow, they still wanted to forgive him. Luciano looked at Nick and Sky.

“Let’s give these guys some alone time,” said Luciano. Nick and Sky nodded. “We’ll be downstairs if you need us.”

“We’ll be down when we’ve sorted some of this out,” said Zak.

“Take all the time you need,” said Sky.

“No worries,” said Nick. “I think you need to have this conversation without us hanging over you.” Luciano, Nick and Sky left the room.

“All right, Blake,” said Connor. He glared at his oldest friend. “Tell us what’s going on.”

“And if I don’t?” asked Blake. He was planning on telling them, he just wanted to know what they had cooked up if he decided not to.

“Tell it and we won’t have to bother,” said Aaron.

“We’ll force Nick back in here and have him skewer you with a fencing foil,” said Riley. Riley had made it up off the top of his head, but he left so little time in between, that it seemed to be planned.

Blake sighed. “I know that I didn’t do it right, Aaron. I know that you’re probably still really angry with me and honestly, I don’t blame you. I deserved everything you handed to me.”

“Can we please get over what happened with you and Aaron?” asked Connor.

“Not really,” said Aaron. “It’s important to me and it’s obviously important to Blake.”

“Look,” said Blake. “I’ve made mistakes. I’m not perfect, so I’m not going to try to tell you that I am.”

“None of us are perfect, Blake,” said Connor. “We all have things we wish we didn’t. We all have regrets.”

***

In the hallway, Luciano stared into the ceiling, his eyes seemingly boring holes into the whitewash. He seemed to zone out. Sky and Nick were having their own conversation, for once letting Luciano alone. Luciano knew they had noticed, but the fact that they were trying to not to tell him to go back to Talia and get a proper rest with no Stravaganting.

“Lucien, Nick, Sky,” Luciano met Zak in the eyes. “You can come back in.”

“Are you sorted?” Nick asked, glaring at Connor, Riley and Blake, sitting around in the room over Zak’s shoulder.

“Come and join,” Riley called. Sighing, Luciano, Sky and Nick followed Zak into the room. Blake shut the door with his foot the moment Zak re-entered the room.

“Did you figure it out?” Nick asked.

“What’s the concensus?” asked Sky.

“That I can stay,” said Blake.

“We decided what he did to me wasn’t that bad,” said Aaron.

“You know, I’m glad we came, Aaron,” said Sky.

“It’s nice to forget about things,” said Luciano. He looked at Sky and Nick. They knew what he was talking about. Luciano had been trying to stay clear of Giglia since he had murdered Duke Fabrizio. Now Gaetano was in charge and even though Luciano had always gotten along best with Nick and through Nick he and Gaetano had put aside all the resentments that his father, Niccolo and his older brothers Fabrizio and Carlo had for him. But Luciano didn’t dare mention any of this. It would involve several things that Rodolfo would probably have him murdered for if he let them slip. To Riley, Zak, Connor and Blake, Luciano was Lucien, another friend of Aaron’s from Islington. It wasn’t far from the truth, in fact, three years ago it would’ve been the truth.

“That’s why I invited you here,” said Aaron. “We’ve always used the pier to forget about our problems.”

“There have been a fair few arguments here,” said Blake.

“Most of them were driven by you,” said Connor.

“True that,” said Zak, shoving Blake off the pier, only to have a lifeguard start screaming at them.

After that, Luciano, Aaron, Sky and Nick shoved the lifeguard into the ocean after Blake, causing Zak, Connor, Riley and Blake laugh. Laughing, the rest of the splashed into the ocean after the lifeguard. The lifeguard soon found himself attacked by eight teenagers. The boys doubted whether the lifeguard would ever forget. They knew they were never going to forget this trip.

***

Luciano was waiting for Aaron, Sky and Nick, when he heard Connor, Blake and Zak talking.

“Are we going to tell?” asked Zak.

“I don’t think Aaron should know,” said Blake.

“Are you sure about that?” asked Connor. “If it were my brother I’d want to know.”

“What’s going on?” asked Luciano, appearing.

“Can you keep a secret?” asked Blake.

“Yes,” said Luciano.

“You can’t tell anyone,” said Connor. “Especially not Aaron.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Luciano. Zak, Connor, Blake and Riley exchanged glances. “Tell me.”

“Fine,” said Zak. “Here’s what’s going on. Riley’s older brother died jumping off Brighton Pier.”

“Dio mio,” Luciano whispered. “Does Aaron know?”

“No,” said Riley, appearing in the doorway. “We never told Aaron.”

“Are you going to?” asked Luciano.

“I don’t think we have a choice,” said Connor. “We think have to tell him.”

“Does he have to know?” asked Riley.

“Why don’t you want to tell him?” asked Luciano.

“Bradley told me he didn’t want Aaron to know he died,” said Riley. “Ever.”

“Riley, Aaron deserves to know,” said Luciano. “Aaron and Bradley were friends, right?”

“Yeah,” said Zak.

“So, he deserves to know,” said Luciano, like it was simple.

“I know you think it’s simple, Lucien,” said Connor. “But it’s complicated.”

“Begin at the beginning,” said Luciano. “Explain everything to me. I can help you with this. I’ve kept secrets from everyone I cared about.”

“Are you sure you want to hear this?” asked Blake.

“Yes,” said Luciano, firmly. His tone left no room for argument.

“Okay,” said Blake. “Connor, you better tell the story.”

“Why me?” asked Connor. “Why not Riley or Zak?”

“Because I’m not ready to tell it and Zak wasn’t there when it started,” said Riley.

“It wasn’t my fault I was in Edinburgh,” Zak muttered.

“I know,” said Riley. “I’ve forgiven you, Zak. I forgave you the day you came back.”

“What happened?” asked Luciano.

“Bradley had been trying to do it for awhile,” said Connor. “He tried it many ways, he even tried to make Riley kill him. Thank God Riley couldn’t do it. He was going to cut himself to death. I stopped that one. He finally settled on throwing himself off Brighton Pier. We were all there, but there wasn’t anything we could do after he threw himself off. He refused to let any of us tell Aaron.”

“But...” Luciano started.

“We never got an answer for that out of him,” said Connor. “Anyway, we decided to comply with Bradley’s final wish. Aaron still doesn’t know about Bradley’s death.”

“Look,” said Luciano. “I know that you want to pay tribute to Bradley’s memory by not telling Aaron, because it was Bradley’s final wish that Aaron not find out. But I think we owe to him to tell him this.”

“What’s going on?” They looked toward the doorway. It had been Sky who had spoken. Behind him stood Aaron and Nick.

“What are you talking about?” asked Aaron, as he, Nick and Sky edged into the room, taking the last available seats.

“We need to talk,” said Luciano.

“About what?” Aaron asked.

“Aaron,” Luciano started. “I’m sorry.” He approached the boy, kneeling on the floor next to him. “Bradley’s dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Dio mio - My god


	7. Chapter Six

Shock waves of silence ran through the room. They hadn’t imagined that Luciano would come right out and say it. Then again, Luciano was always doing things that the others didn’t expect. Everyone looked each other. Aaron looked Luciano.

“Can I talk to you?” Aaron asked. “Outside.”

“Sure,” said Luciano. He sighed. The last time he’d had a conversation alone with Aaron, he’d forced Aaron into admitting parts of his past. Now, he thought he was about to do the same thing again.

Aaron shut the door. “Tell me, Luciano,” Aaron whispered. “Tell me everything.”

“Are you sure you want to hear this?” asked Luciano.

“Yes,” said Aaron, firmly.

“Okay.” Luciano breathed. Then began. “They were on the pier. Bradley got on the pier. Riley tried to stop him, but it didn’t work. Bradley jumped off the pier. They never saw his body.”

“Oh my god,” Aaron breathed. He sank down the wall. Luciano crouched next to him.

“I never planned to tell you this way, Aaron,” said Luciano.

“I know,” Aaron replied. “I could tell you were caught off guard with my request to hear the story now.”

“Your friends didn’t want to tell you. Apparently it Bradley’s final wish that you not know.”

“How is that possible?” Aaron burst out. “He has no right to say what I can and can’t hear. I’ve been through worse.”

“I don’t know the reasons for what Bradley wanted. Maybe he was trying to protect you, I don’t know, but I thought you should know. It’s probably all over Brighton by now. I grew up in Islington, I know how these things spread.”

“No one else knows.” It was Connor. He was leaning again the doorway. Behind him, the rest of the group visible. “The body’s never been found, we’ve never been questioned. The only people who know are us and our parents. We’re keeping it from the rest of the town. We know what happens when news of things like this break out. We know that once it’s out there’s no turning back.”

***

Cesare Montalbano leaned against a pillar in the piazza and glared across the square. Old women tottered about, trying to shop. Young children ran around, chasing the pigeons out into the lagoon. Cesare glared at the happiness around him.

“What’s up with you?” Cesare kept glaring at the stone wall across the square. “Va bene, Cesare, tell me what’s going on?”

“You’re the Duke of Giglia now,” Cesare responded. “Why do you care? I’m just the eldest son of the Twelfth of the Ram. I don’t even live in your city.”

“You’re the winner of the Stellata di Falco. Doesn’t that count for anything in your brain? You don’t think I don’t miss him? Cesare, what’s really going on here?”

Cesare turned his gaze to Gaetano d’Chimici. After the death of his eldest brother, Fabrizio, and being the only Chimici son left, the title of Duke of Giglia had passed to him. It still felt weird to Cesare, being the friend of a duke, but this was important. “I don’t want to you think ill of me,” Cesare began warningly.

“I won’t.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that after you hear what I’m about to say.”

“Try me. I heard plenty of crazy things from Fabrizio.”

“I think something’s gone wrong in Anglia.”

***

Arianna Rossi really didn’t want to accept that Luciano had gone back to Anglia. Every time he did, she was afraid that he wouldn’t wake up and he would stay in Anglia forever. Despite Doctor Dethridge and Rodolfo constantly reminding her that unless Luciano couldn’t find the talisman, it would be impossible. Arianna ran a careless hand through the hairstyle Barbara had set for her not long ago. Barbara walked into the room. She took one look at Arianna’s hair. The long brown curls now cascaded down her back in a slight mess.

“Don’t make me do this hairstyle more than twice,” Barbara warned. “It’s a pain to get right.”

“I’m sorry,” Arianna apologized. “I’m just worried about Luciano.”

“Why don’t you listen to Dottore Dethridge and Signor Rossi for a change?” suggested Barbara, twisting the final curls into place.

“I try,” said Arianna, with a sigh, leaning back in her chair. “But I worry. I never want to go through that again.”

“Were you there when he found out, my lady?”

“Of course I was!” Arianna snapped, letting her temper lash out at the maid in a seldom burst of anger. “He was brought to my aunt’s house! Surely you haven’t forgotten what happened on the Giornata Vietata?”

“Of course I haven’t,” Barbara murmured.

Arianna looked at her maid. When she saw the look on Barbara’s face, she sighed. “Perdonami, Barbara,” she murmured to her maid’s reflection. She rose and swept from the room. Barbara watched her go. She knew better than anyone that Arianna was never what one could call happy when Luciano visited Anglia. It also happened to be when her temper came out the most, except when ambassadors to some province of Talia greatly annoyed her.

***

Luciano lay back on the couch in Connor’s living room. Connor’s living room was almost ridiculously big. And for someone who now lived in a palazzo in sixteenth century Venice that was saying something. He glared up the ceiling. Aaron, Sky, Nick, Zak, Connor, Blake and Riley were sprawled over two more couches, two squishy armchairs and the floor. Without looking he knew it was Riley and Aaron in the armchairs, Sky and Nick on the couches and Zak, Blake and Connor were sprawled across the floor. Luciano ran a hand through his tangled black hair. He knew he had to get back to Talia. He knew that Rodolfo and Arianna would be worried. But somehow, Luciano needed an uninterrupted sleep. He threw the rose onto a table, and pulled a blanket off Connor who was lying halfway under the couch Luciano was lying on. The instant the blanket fell over Luciano, he was asleep. How that had worked, Luciano could never explain.

***

“Luc! Luc!” Luciano was shook roughly awake by Nick early the next morning.

“What time is it?” Luciano muttered.

“Time for you to get up,” said Sky, lobbing the pillow he’d used the night before at his friend.

“Watch the vase,” Connor muttered.

“Like your mum actually cares about that old thing,” said Blake, heading for the bathroom.

“Sky,” Luciano groaned, rolling over.

“Oh no you don’t,” said Nick. “You’re coming to the pier with us.”

“And if I don’t want to?” Luciano asked.

“Too bad,” said Riley.

“No getting out of it,” said Zak.

“Come on, Luc, it’ll be fun,” said Sky.

“Like I actually want to believe anything you guys tell me right now,” Luciano muttered, heading for the bathroom Blake had just vacated.

“What’s up with him?” asked Blake, wadding up the blankets he, Connor and Zak had spread on the floor.

“No idea,” said Aaron, unwinding his own blankets from the chair.

“I thought you guys were friends,” said Riley.

“Doesn’t mean we know what’s going on with him all the time,” said Nick.

“Stop protecting him,” said Riley. “It’s probably the worst thing you can do.” Riley headed into the kitchen. A few minutes later, Connor, Zak and Blake followed him.

“Who does he think he is?” asked Aaron.

“Why does he think he knows Lucien so much better than we do?” asked Sky.

“I don’t think I want to know,” said Luciano, emerging from the bathroom.

“What were you doing in there?” asked Nick.

“Listening to what Riley was saying about me,” said Luciano, glancing towards the kitchen to make sure Connor, Blake, Riley and Zak were nowhere to be seen.

“You heard that?” Nick asked, darkly.

“Yes,” Luciano replied. “And I didn’t like where it was going.”

“Well, either did we,” said Aaron.

“I’ve fought and killed the last two Dukes of Giglia, I think I can handle a few immature teenage boys,” said Luciano.

“You forgot he invited us,” said Sky, glaring in the direction of the kitchen. A hollow laugh sounded from the kitchen. Nick grimaced. “We aren’t going anywhere.”

“Can we just go to the beach already?” asked Aaron. “I don’t know about you guys, but I could do with some fresh air and water.”

“Let’s go get the others,” Luciano groaned.

“Or we could go by ourselves,” said Sky.

“Fine,” said Luciano. “But Sky, you’re...”

“Come on,” Nick interrupted. “Stop worrying about stupid things. This is your time to enjoy things that don’t exist in sixteenth century Talia.”

***

To say that Riley, Connor, Blake and Zak were annoyed with Aaron and his friends from Islington, was an understatement. The four boys from Islington had stolen Connor’s truck and had obviously driven down to the ocean without them.

“I can’t believe them!” Zak stormed out.

“Who’s idea do you think it was?” asked Connor.

“Luc’s probably,” said Riley.

“Or Aaron’s,” said Blake.

“It definitely wasn’t Sky or Nick’s,” said Connor.

“How do you know?” asked Zak.

“I just have a feeling it was either Aaron or Luc,” Connor replied.

“Now for the more immediate question,” said Riley. “How are we going to get to the beach?”

“My aunt has a beat-up car we can drive,” said Zak. “She won’t miss it.”

“I am never being seen in that thing again,” said Blake.

“Oh, yeah,” said Riley. “Didn’t you too have a disaster in that thing? Didn’t you drive off the pier?”

“It was Blake’s idea,” said Zak.

“Thanks,” said Blake. “Thanks for that.”

“Sure thing,” said Zak.

“Just get the car,” said Connor. “So we can get my truck back.”

“Is that the only reason?” asked Riley.

“Nope,” said Connor. “We’re going to even with them.”

“Do you remember the last time we tried to get even with Aaron?” asked Riley.

“Obviously not, because I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Connor.

“You got thrown off the pier, Connor,” said Blake.

“I helped,” said Riley.

“Is this pick on Connor day or something?” asked Connor.

“Or something,” muttered Zak.

***

A wave of water splashed Luciano in the face, as Sky spun the boat out into the ocean. They had stolen the boat from a rental, and for a second, Luciano felt like he was home. Racing a boat through a body of water, except that the motorboat was no gondola, the ocean was no Bellezzan lagoon, and the Brighton shoreline was no Bellezza. Luciano tipped back his head. For once it was nice not having to steer the boat. He sat in the seat beside Sky, as Sky steered. Behind them, Luciano could hear Nick and Aaron.

“Oh no,” Nick whispered behind them. Luciano and Sky turned. They looked up. Standing on the pier above them were Connor, Zak, Riley and Blake. Saying they were pissed was an understatement. In his brain, Luciano was cursing them.

“Ugh...really...” said Aaron.

“Thought they were your friends,” said Nick.

“They were,” said Aaron.

“What happened?” asked Sky.

“Moving to Islington,” Aaron muttered.

Luciano glared up the pier. Connor, Zak, Riley and Blake were trying to have a discussion of tactics. Unfortunately, for them the wind was blowing their entire conversation in the direction of their enemies. As the first waves of the conversation flowed in their direction, Luciano smiled at his friends.

“Looks like this is our lucky day,” he whispered. Aaron, Nick and Sky smiled mysteriously. At that second, Luciano knew he had a great group of friends and they were going to bring the others down. How they were going to do that, Luciano didn’t really know just yet, but he knew it was going to happen.


	8. Chapter Seven

Luciano was lying on the sun-drenched motorboat, when he heard someone calling to the group. He looked up. A policeman was standing on the pier above them.

“Bloody hell,” Luciano muttered. “Switch places with me.”

“What’s going?” asked Sky.

“Don’t question me, just do it.” Luciano jumped the space between the seats, as Sky scrambled into the back, than into Luciano’s vacated seat. The second Luciano was in Sky’s spot, he floored it. Zipping the motorboat out to sea. Behind them, Luciano could hear someone cursing. As the boat zipped around the bend, Nick and Aaron leaned forward.

“Okay, what was that?” asked Nick.

“Someone called the cops on us,” Luciano replied.

“Watch the rocks,” Sky said warningly. Luciano swerved around the outcrop and further out to sea.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” asked Aaron.

“Stop trying to ruin this,” Luciano called back. Nick glanced behind them.

“Damn,” Nick whispered.

“What is it?” asked Luciano.

“They’re coming after us,” Nick replied.

“Hold on,” said Luciano. Luciano felt the boat going faster. He wasn’t even aware of what he was doing. All he knew was that the days when he did this were coming back. As he spun the boat around a bend, Luciano heard the distant cursing and knew that the police were never going to catch up.

“How did you learn that?” asked Aaron.

“It comes with the territory,” Luciano replied.

“Am I the one who used to live here or not?” Aaron grumbled.

“You are, but you forget what I’ve been doing the last three years,” replied Luciano. “You forget that Talia is still in the sixteenth century and this is how we get around.”

“Of course you would say that,” Sky muttered to Nick who had opted for the seat behind him.

“Hey, you’re the ones who said you knew nothing about steering a boat,” said Luciano. “I think I’m doing you guys a favor.”

“Fine, you’re right,” said Nick, sticking his head between Sky’s and Luciano’s seats. “We do need you to figure how we’re going to get back at Aaron’s ex-friends.”

“I don’t know what they’re deal is,” said Aaron. “I wish I knew.”

“We all do,” said Nick. “We’re all wondering how they tried to scheme us into doing this.”

“I should never have allowed you to talk me into this,” said Luciano. “Are you even aware of how much time I’m going to have to spend telling all this to Rodolfo?”

“Are you sure he’s going to freak?” Nick asked.

Luciano turned off the engine and turned to face Nick. “You know about as much about Rodolfo as when I turned up in Talia.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t have as much time as you did!” Nick snapped. The words had come out of Nick’s mouth before he had thought out their full impact. In an instant what he had said rolled over him. “Lucien...”

“Don’t worry about it,” Luciano replied. “I’m more worried about how I’m going to explain everything that’s happened to Rodolfo.”

“You’ll figure it out,” said Sky.

“And you know that how?” asked Luciano.

“Because I trust you,” said Sky. “And so do they.” Sky gestured with his head to Nick and Aaron.

“We do trust you,” said Nick. “Just sometimes you know what you’re doing too well. When that happens we stop trusting you. Sometimes you know exactly what to do when something goes wrong.”

“It’s kind of freaky,” admitted Sky.

“I’m guessing I can’t just ignore this,” said Luciano. “I’m guessing I have to come up with an exact explanation.”

“Yep,” said Aaron.

“Exactly,” said Nick.

“We’re not going anywhere until you do,” added Sky.

“Look, before you start pestering me anymore about this, I barely know anything about it,” said Luciano. “It just sort of started happening after I translated. Suddenly, there were certain things that I knew exactly what was wrong and what the fastest ways of fixing the problem were. Rodolfo and I never figured out the reasons why I could figure certain things out so easily,” Luciano paused. “It also isn’t everything. Not every problem I instantly have an answer to. Some things I still have to try to work out in my head.”

“Like the problem we’re in now?” asked Sky.

“Exactly,” replied Luciano. “Things involving people’s feelings has never been my strong point. I’ve never been able to figure out those problems easily. It’s always been more thinking when those problems arise.”

***

From behind the boat, four loud splashes followed in quick succession. Aaron turned around.

“As much as I’d like to keep sitting here, talking, we’d better get a move on.”

“Why?” asked Nick.

“Connor, Zak, Blake and Riley just jumped in,” Aaron replied.

“Luc, andiamo,” Sky whispered. Hoping that between the Italian and the whispering, Connor, Riley, Zak and Blake wouldn’t figure out that they were the ones in the boat.

“Damn, thought we were far enough away,” Luciano muttered, revving the motor back into gear.

“I thought so too,” said Sky.

“How did they find us?” asked Nick.

“How would you feel if I told you I didn’t want to think about it?” asked Luciano.

“I’d tell you to start driving the boat,” said Nick, glancing behind him. Aaron and Sky glanced behind the boat as well. The four they were trying to get away from were fast in pursuit. Fortunately for Luciano, they were in the water. Luciano acted so fast it seemed involuntary.

Aaron, Nick and Sky were still looking backwards, reporting on what Riley, Zak, Connor and Blake were doing to Luciano, when Luciano sped the boat up again. The wake from the boat, spewed off fast, practically spraying Nick, Aaron and Sky. At that instant a jet of water sprayed from the stern. It arced through the air, just barely grazing the heads of Aaron and Nick. The jet of water spiraled away from the boat. It splashed full force onto Riley, Zak, Blake and Connor. The laughter coming from Luciano’s boat only made the four soaked boys glare.

***

Luciano swung the boat into a dock. They had left Riley, Zak, Connor and Blake far behind. Luciano jumped out, letting Sky steady the boat, while he tied it firmly to several pilings.

“Where are we?” asked Nick.

“We’re near my old house,” Aaron replied. “I know exactly where we are.”

“Are we anywhere near food?” Sky asked. “I’m starving.”

“I wouldn’t say no to some food,” said Luciano. “Besides, it means I can stay here longer.”

“What about Rodolfo?” asked Sky. “Won’t he be worried about you?”

“I don’t know what Rodolfo is going to be,” Luciano replied. “I’d like to think he won’t be worried about me, but I know he will. He worries about me too much.”

“I’m sure it’s just like it was when you died here,” said Nick. “I’ve never talked about it with Gaetano, but I have a feeling, he likes knowing I’m alive. Your birth parents do too.”

“I’m always afraid to visit them,” said Luciano. “I don’t know what their reaction will be.”

“They’ll be glad to see you,” said Aaron, rationally, trying to find the restaurant Bradley took him, Riley, Connor, Blake and Zak out to, whenever they had the means to do it.

“You shouldn’t be scared,” said Sky.

“There’s a difference between being scared and being afraid to visit because you don’t know what their reaction is going to be.”

“So you want to know their reaction before you visit hem?” asked Sky. “That’s no fun.”

“I suppose it does lose the fun,” Luciano mused. “But maybe that’s the best for me.”

***

The bad thing was that Aaron hadn’t been able to figure out where the restaurant was. The good thing was that Sky had spotted another place that Aaron also liked a short ways down the block. Since he’d moved to Islington, Aaron had forgotten that two of his favorite restaurants in Brighton were on the same block.

Nick looked in the window. He glared at someone.

“Who is it?” asked Aaron.

“Chad Evans,” said Luciano, following Nick’s gaze. He recognized the boy sitting at a table, surrounded by his friends.

“I thought he got off the train before us,” said Sky.

“Yeah, but that stop isn’t that far from Brighton,” said Aaron. “You can easily get to Brighton from where Chad got off the train.”

“Just our luck,” Sky muttered.

“Can I murder him?” Nick muttered.

“Isn’t murder a little harsh?” Luciano murmured.

Nick jumped. He hadn’t realized Luciano could hear him. “Yeah, well,” Nick replied. “Look what you did to Fabrizio.”

“I had a legitimate reason for that one,” Luciano replied. “He was murdering people all over Italy.”

“Can’t Chad go on a killing raid so we can turn him over to the police?” Sky asked.

“I doubt he’d ever do that,” Nick murmured.

“Nick, Sky,” As one, Nick, Sky, Aaron and Luciano turned. Chad was standing there. Behind him, were his friends. Nick recognized both of them as Chad’s teammates.

“What do you want?” asked Aaron.

“Nothing from you!” Chad snapped. Luciano didn’t even bother calming the boy down. He had heard enough stories about the boy from Nick and Sky to know that Chad wasn’t one to mess with unless you were one of the best people on Barnsbury Comp’s fencing team. Luckily for Luciano and Aaron, Nick and Sky were two of the best fencers. Unluckily for the entire group, Chad was the best at his school.

“Why are you here?” asked Nick. “What are you even doing in Brighton?”

“Apparently what you’re doing,” Chad replied.

“I see you don’t have any friends with you,” Sky challenged.

“Of course I do,” Chad hissed.

“They’re no good at fencing,” hissed Sky in return.

“You dare to speak so before me?” asked Chad.

“Of course he does,” Nick hissed.

***

Connor, Blake, Zak and Riley hissed as the boat disappeared around the bend.

“Bloody hell,” Zak swore. “Why did we let them get away?”

“They stole the boat,” Connor muttered.

“How am I going to explain this to my parents?” asked Blake.

“You’ll find a way,” said Connor. “You always have.”

“But this is so much worse,” said Blake. “They’ll going to murder me.”

“I doubt they’ll go that far,” said Riley. He paused. “Wait, actually I could see that happening.”

“Thank you,” said Blake. “At least someone supports me.”

“We support you too,” said Zak.

“Yeah, well, you’ve never met my parents,” said Blake. “You have no idea what they’ll do to me if they find out that Aaron and his stupid Islington friends have stolen our boat.”

“You’d think that kid was born on the water,” said Riley.

“Who?” Zak asked. “Lucien?”

“Yeah,” said Riley. “Did you see the way he was driving that thing?”

“We all did,” said Connor.

“Yes, and I’m about to get murdered,” said Blake.

“Come off it,” said Zak. “They’re not going to murder you.”

“You’d be surprised,” Connor muttered.

“See,” said Blake.

***

Chad Evans was pissed to say the least. He glared at the four boys before him, behind him his friends Aiden and James glared. Two of the boys he knew. Nick Duke and Sky Meadows. The other two, one blonde, the other looking suspiciously like Nick, he had no idea who they were, but they were obviously close friends with Nick and Sky. Chad nodded. Aiden ran at the blonde, James at the black-haired one. Nick and Sky exchanged a glance before pouncing on Chad like they were cats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:
> 
> Luc, andiamo - Luc, let's go


	9. Chapter Eight

Arianna Rossi looked across the lagoon, her mind filled with thought of Luciano. Luciano hadn’t told anyone what he was doing before he left. One minute he was there, the next he had jumped ahead to 21st century England, and was dealing with something there. Something to do with the blonde kid who had shown up when Fabrizio was trying to get Luciano arrested for something Luciano had done three years previously. Obviously saving Talia from a murderer hadn’t been enough, and he’d had to chase something else down.

When they first met, Arianna would never have imagined being where she was now. She hadn’t know that the Gasparinis were her relatives not her family. For all she know, if Silvia Bellini hadn’t stepped in and revealed the secret of her birth, she’d probably be dead. That’s usually what happened when you ended up on the mainland on the Giornata Vienata and you lived on Torrone.

“Where’s Luciano?” Arianna turned. It was Cesare.

“He’s in Anglia,” Arianna replied. “I don’t have any details, but apparently it’s something he really had to do.”

“When’s he coming back?” asked Cesare.

“I don’t know,” Arianna replied leaning into the balcony.

“You’re not lying?” asked Cesare.

“I would never lie to you, Cesare, and if I did, it wouldn’t be my intention. Everything’s changed for you, particularly in the last year. I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t want anything to do with me or Luciano or Bellezza. If you want I can get you back to Remora safety.”

“I don’t have anything there anymore. Teresa’s busy with Marta, Emilia, Stella, and the twins. She’s probably moved, letting someone else take over the house and barn of the Horsemaster of the Twelfth of the Ram. I don’t know if I could live with someone else living in the house where I grew up.”

“Then your deal with Luciano holds,” said Arianna. “You can stay here as long as you like.” Arianna paused. She knew what it was like to have your entire life change overnight. “Come with me, I want to tell you something.”

***

Blake, Riley, Connor and Zak stormed back to Connor’s truck. Riley and Zak were so pissed that they jumped into the truckbed without fighting with Blake for shotgun. The instant Connor spun into Riley’s driveway, Blake, Zak and Riley were out of the car and in the house. Connor followed them, not bothering to put the emergency brake on. The foursome stormed into Riley’s living room where Riley’s father was reading the newspaper.

“Get lost!” Zak snapped.

“Zak Reid, what do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Russell admonished.

“Dad, they’re here to help,” said Riley.

“What can four sixteen-year-old boys do to help the death of a nineteen-year-old?” Mr. Russell asked.

“Mr. Russell,” said Connor. “Riley’s telling the truth. That’s all we want to do. We want to help Riley get through this.”

“I thought you were with Aaron,” said Mr. Russell. “Nice boy. Shame he moved to Islington.”

“We had a falling out,” Riley admitted.

“Think you can repair it?” Mr. Russell asked, flipping a page of his newspaper.

“I’m not sure we can, Dad,” said Riley. “It was a pretty bad fight.”

Mr. Russell closed his newspaper and laid it aside. He looked at his son and his son’s friends. He sighed. Riley looked almost exactly like Bradley had when Bradley had been sixteen. If it hadn’t been for the age difference, the two probably would’ve been twins. “Riley, how long have you and Aaron been friends? How many fights have you been in?”

“This was one of the worse ones,” said Connor.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Connor, but I’m sure Riley’s answer would’ve been the same.” He picked up his newspaper. “I’ll let you four talk about whatever you’ve been doing all day. Riley, dinner’s in an hour. You can invite your friends if you wish, or go to one of their houses.” Mr. Russell stood and left the room.

“Okay,” said Blake, the second Mr. Russell was out of earshot. “What was that?”

“I have no idea,” said Riley, flopping into a chair. “I think he was trying to talk me into making up with Aaron.”

“That’s what it sounded like to me,” said Zak, flopping on the couch.

“Are you going to?” Connor asked, sitting on the couch arm.

“Maybe…I think…” Riley sighed. “I don’t know. We’ve been friends forever, but this fight might change everything.”

“Do you think he wants to forgive you?” asked Connor.

“I don’t know,” said Riley. “I don’t know Aaron’s mind as well as I used to.”

“It’s to be expected,” said Blake, sitting on the other chair. “You’ve barely seen each other for two years.”

“What are you now?” Zak demanded. “A doctor?”

“I was just trying to come up with a reason,” said Blake.

“I don’t think he needs a reason right now,” said Zak.

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Riley murmured. “I think I know what I want, but then I think about all the fun we used to have, and…”

“We don’t want him here,” said Connor.

“We think it was his fault Bradley died,” said Zak.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Zak,” said Riley. “Aaron, Lucien, Sky and Nick didn’t come until after Bradley was dead. There’s no way they killed him.”

“That Lucien guy seemed pretty shady to me,” said Connor.

“There was something about him,” said Blake.

“What was up with that weird sickness thing that was going on?” asked Zak.

“It was probably something he didn’t want anyone to know about,” said Connor.

“Great,” said Riley. “Now my former friend is making friends with someone I don’t trust.”

“Would it be enough for you to not forgive him?” asked Blake.

“I don’t think it was Aaron’s fault,” said Riley.

“What about…” Blake started.

“It wasn’t Lucien, Sky or Nick either,” said Riley. “Besides Bradley was already dead when they came.”

***

“What do you think is going to happen?” Nick asked. Luciano, Aaron, Sky and Nick were having a similar conversation, but it was in very different circumstances. Instead of Riley’s comfy living room, they were on the beach, but it was definitely more calming.

“I don’t know,” said Aaron. “I don’t know if Riley’s going to decide to forgive me for it or not.”

"You never know,” said Luciano. “Maybe you will. Tom was all forgiving and stuff when we finally saw each other.”

“It was a different situation,” said Aaron. “No one’s dying here.”

“Unless I push them off the pier,” said Sky.

“That isn’t the solution,” said Luciano. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen between Aaron and Riley, but pushing Connor, Zak or Blake off the pier isn’t going to solve anything.”

“You don’t know that,” said Sky.

“Don’t you think we’re taking this out of perspective?” Nick asked.

“What do you mean?” asked Aaron.

“What we did, it was meant to be a joke,” said Nick.

“Yeah, a joke that they took out of perspective,” Aaron muttered.

“What do you think would happen if we went over there and tried to apologize?” Nick asked. “You know, explain what happened.”

“I’m not sure they would go for that,” said Aaron.

“What do you think they’re reaction will be?” asked Nick.

“Do you want me to consider everything we did?” asked Aaron.

“Yes,” said Luciano, firmly, breaking into the conversation. “That’s the only way we can do this, and know that it’s as accurate as we can get it.”

“Okay,” said Aaron. “Putting everything we did into account, it sounds like you were joking around, trying to get to know them, and I was trying to reconnect with them.”

“You see Aaron,” said Sky. “There’s no reason why you need to question everything.”

“I’m not questioning everything,” said Aaron. “I’m questioning what’s going to happen here. Obviously we can’t go to Riley’s and apologize unless one of us wants to die.”

A pause spread over the group. “We’re not going to do anything tonight,” said Sky. “Why don’t we take a swim in the ocean? We can figure out what to do in the morning.”

“I really shouldn’t,” said Luciano. “Rodolfo’s probably on the verge of killing me.”

“Come on, Luc,” said Nick. “Join us. We won’t tell Rodolfo.”

“Oh, all right,” said Luciano, throwing his clothes in a pile. He ran towards the water. “Are we going to do this or not?”

***

Luciano was lucky. When he crashed back to his body, neither Arianna or Rodolfo was anywhere in the room. Grumbling to himself about a bad night’s sleep, he dragged himself out of bed, placed the talisman in the box, and staggered back to the bed. He was back asleep before his head touched the pillow.

When Rodolfo came into Luciano’s room later that morning, he was surprised to see Luciano still asleep. He knew exactly what caused this. It was what happened when stubborn eighteen-year-olds didn’t listen and Stravaganted after they nearly drowned. With a sigh, Rodolfo left the room. He battled for a short time with whether to wake Luciano, but in the end, he decided that Luciano wasn’t going to be any good to him tired, and he might as well let him sleep.

As Rodolfo was about to open the door, someone else entered. It was Cesare.

“How is he?” Cesare asked.

“He’s sleeping,” Rodolfo replied. “It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to wake him for a couple more hours.”

“I have to talk to him,”

“I doubt it’s something that can’t wait. If you can’t wait, you can talk me.”

“No, I have to talk to Luciano.”

Rodolfo sighed. “Fine,” Rodolfo said. “But I don’t want you taxing him. I have feeling he’s been through a lot recently.”

“Since when isn’t he?” Cesare muttered, as he opened Luciano’s door, and slid inside. Rodolfo just heard Cesare’s muttering, and smiled, before returning to his study.

Cesare let Luciano’s door snap shut as silently as he manage. He had some idea of what Luciano faced. He knew that by all technicalities Luciano should be dead, but somehow he’d been chosen. He observed his sleeping friend for a few more seconds before lightly shaking Luciano awake.

“What is it?” Luciano muttered.

“Nothing big,” Cesare replied.

“Dio Cesare,” Luciano muttered, scrambling out of the mess of covers on his bed and sitting a couch. “Non farlo.” He looked at Cesare. He could see right through the lie. “Stai mentendo, Cesare. Questo ha qualcosa a che fare con la morte di Paolo. Dimmi la veritá, Cesare. Dimmi perché sei veramente qui.”

“You want the truth?” asked Cesare, sitting beside him. Luciano nodded. “I don’t want to go back to Remora. I want to live here. Teresa’s just going to sell the farmhouse and the barn. Someone else is going to be the Horsemaster of the Twelfth of the Ram. I don’t think I could live anywhere else in Remora. If I did go back to Remora, I would never be able to walk through the Twelfth of the Ram ever again. It would hurt too much.”

“Are you sure you could give up your life in Remora?”

“Of course I’m sure,” said Cesare. “It beats the alternative.”

“Have you spoken to anyone else about this? Rodolfo? Arianna?”

"Arianna.”

“And what did she say?”

“She said I could.”

“And I don’t think Bellezza would enjoy it if their Duke Consort and Duchessa had an argument over a Remoran peasant. You’re staying here.”

“Cesare, let him rest,” Rodolfo called through the closed door.

“I wish he would trust me,” Luciano muttered.

Rodolfo opened the door and glared at Luciano and Cesare, sitting on Luciano’s couch looking as if they had done nothing wrong. “I probably would trust you, if you would take your health over Stravaganting.”

“Unfortunately for you, there’s a murder mystery in Brighton to be solved.”

“Thanks, Luciano,” said Cesare, drawing Luciano away from his disagreement with Rodolfo.

“There isn’t any problem,” said Luciano, leaning back into the couch.

Rodolfo noticed. “Back to bed, apprentice.”

“I haven’t been your apprentice in years,” Luciano muttered.

“Obviously you didn’t learn from my mistakes.”

Cesare moved a strand of black hair off Luciano’s face. “Rodolfo’s right,” Cesare whispered, before sliding away and out the door Rodolfo had left open.

***

“How is he?” Arianna sensed Rodolfo behind her.

“You’re going to have to ask Cesare that question,” Rodolfo replied. “I haven’t talked to him.”

“Go in,” Arianna turned away from the canal. Cesare was standing in the doorway of her room. “He’ll be happy to see you.”

Arianna turned to Rodolfo. “Can I?” She knew that Rodolfo would let her see Luciano, even though he was probably tired.

Rodolfo sighed. On one hand, he wanted to give his daughter whatever she wanted. On the other hand, he’d been in Luciano’s position before, and knew what the eighteen-year-old would be feeling. “Fine,” Rodolfo said at last. “But make it quick.” Arianna nodded to Rodolfo, and swept out of the room.

“He’ll be fine,” she whispered to Cesare, as she swept past. She’d been on the receiving end of Luciano returning far too many times, and knew what Cesare was probably feeling. He probably wished he was a Stravagante. Arianna herself, knew the draw. She wished it at the beginning, but as her duties as Duchessa multiplied; she had to applaud Luciano for everything he’d done. She wasn’t so sure she’d be able to handle it as well as Luciano had.

***

“Luciano,” Luciano shifted to see who was in the doorway. It was Arianna.

“What…what are you doing here?” Luciano muttered.

“We’re all worried about you,” said Arianna, sitting beside him.

“There are things I have to do, Arianna,” Luciano replied. “Things that no one can help me with.”

“What about Niccolo, Celestino and Aro?”

“We’re doing our best, Arianna, but nothing’s turning out the way we planned.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Aro’s friend’s brother committed suicide, and I think Aro’s friend is going down the same path.”

“Tell Aro.”

“He’s already scared. I don’t want to make it worse.”

“Sometimes we have to do what is right, even if the reality isn’t good.”

“It’s good I have you, Arianna.” Luciano leaned back again the couch.

“Go back to bed, Luciano. You’re not going to be of any help to Aro, Niccolo, Celestino or anyone else, if you’re too tired.”

Through the misty haze of tiredness, Luciano knew Rodolfo, Cesare and Arianna were right. He knew he had to get some sleep. But how was he supposed to do that when he knew Nick, Sky and Aaron needed him in Anglia? Sighing, he knew that he could try to battle Arianna on this, but he also knew that he wouldn’t win.

The next time a wave of sleep washed over Luciano, he let it envelope him. Dimly, he could hear Arianna calling for servants, and felt someone shift him to the bed.

“Sonno, Luciano,” he heard Cesare whisper, through the last wave of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Dio Cesare, non farlo. Stai mentendo, Cesare. Questo ha qualcosa a che fare con la morte di Paolo. Dimmi la veritá, Cesare. Dimmi perché sei veramente qui - God, Cesare, don't. You're lying, Cesare. This has something to do with Paolo's death. Tell me the truth, Cesare. Tell me why you're really here
> 
> Sonno, Luciano - Sleep, Luciano
> 
>  
> 
> Other things to take note of:
> 
> "Aro" is Aaron's Talian name
> 
> "Niccolo" is Nick's Talian name now he's translated


	10. Chapter Nine

“Luciano! What happened to you?” Sky exclaimed.

“You left us here to defend ourselves against Riley, Blake, Connor and Zak,” said Nick.

“Even I’m starting to think there’s bad blood between us, and they used to be my friends,” Aaron added.

“Shut up for a bit, please,” said Luciano, joining Sky on the couch. “And I’ll explain.”

"You better,” Nick muttered.

Sky looked at Luciano. He instantly knew what was going on. “Can’t you see he isn’t perfectly okay?” Sky snapped.

“You don’t have to be here, Luciano, if you’re too tired,” said Nick. “You can go back to Bellezza.”

"No, there are things here that I have to deal with,” said Luciano firmly.

“Luc,” said Aaron. “I think we can deal with this.”

“There are things involving Bradley’s death that you don’t know. Things that I found out that are important.”

“If they’re so important why are you beating around the bush and not telling us?” Nick asked.

“Because…” Luciano stopped, trailing off for a second. “I don’t know how you’re going to respond.”

“Try us,” said Nick. “What would be the worst that could happen?” Nick paused. “Actually, never mind, I don’t want to know.”

“Excuse us.” The foursome turned. Standing behind them were Connor, Blake and Zak.

“We need to talk,” said Connor.

“I thought we established we didn’t have anything more to say to each other,” said Sky.

“We lied,” said Blake, firmly.

“Fine,” said Luciano, turning so he was sitting on the couch back-to-front. “Tell.” He scanned the group. “Where’s Riley?”

“He didn’t want to be here,” said Zak. “What’s wrong with that?”

"Nothing,” Luciano replied, shrugging. “It was a simple question.”

“Maybe not so simple,” said Zak.

“Skip the intro, guys,” said Aaron. “And get to the point.”

“Fine,” said Connor. “We think Bradley knowingly committed suicide when he jumped off the pier. We think that’s why he jumped off the pier, ignoring our warnings.”

“Why did you come here?” asked Sky. “To tell us that you think Bradley committed suicide? Why should we care?”

“We’re not sure how to break the news to Riley,” said Connor.

Luciano sighed. He should’ve known it was coming to this. “Let me guess,” he said. “You want me to break the news to Riley?”

“Would you?” asked Blake.

“If we were still getting along, I’d say yes without a second thought,” said Luciano.

 “But now?” asked Zak.

“I need to call someone,” said Luciano. “Sky?” Sky handed Luciano his phone. “I’ll be back in a sec.” Luciano slid out onto the patio.

***

Tom Nelson was staring at his laptop. It was one of the last pictures ever taken of Lucien, before his got cancer the first time. It had taken Tom awhile to talk David Mulholland into taking the shot. Mostly because to get the angle Tom wanted, David had to lean out Lucien’s window and point the camera straight up. Tom was brought out of his reverie by a fairly recent Coldplay song. With a glance at the caller ID to see it was Sky, he pressed ‘ACCEPT’.

“Sky, what’s up?” asked Tom.

_“It’s not Sky, Tom, it’s me.”_ Tom froze. He hadn’t heard that voice in over a year.

“Lucien?” Tom asked. “What’s going on? Where are you?”

_“I’m in Brighton with Sky, Aaron, Nick and Aaron’s friends Zak, Blake and Connor.”_ Tom heard Lucien sigh. _“We need your help. Get the first train to Brighton.”_

“Luce, I…”

_“I’m sorry, Tom, I’m going to have to explain when you get here. It would take too long over the phone.”_

“Just tell me why you’re asking me to come to Brighton.”

_"I don’t know how I can explain any of this over the phone, Tom,” said Lucien. “I’m sorry.”_

“Lucien, I thought we went over this. Stop apologizing to me. I understand.”

_“I’ll see you when you get here.”_ The call ended with a sharp click. Tom pulled the phone away from his ear, glaring at it.

A second later, he sprang into action. Hastily, he threw his phone, iPod, laptop, a book and two changes of clothes into a bag. A five-minute walk later, he was at Islington Station, and boarding a train for Brighton. The second the train began to move, he dug out his phone and sent a mass text to Aaron, Nick and Sky: Train just pulled out of station. It was good to talk. See you later. He pressed ‘SEND’. All he could hope of now was that Lucien either still had Sky’s phone on him or Nick, Sky or Aaron would pass on the message.

***

“Lucien, come on, tell us,” said Nick. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” said Luciano, handing Sky back his phone. “I was calling someone to tell him to meet us here.”

“Who did you invite?” demanded Blake.

“An old friend from Islington,” Luciano replied smiling mysteriously. Sky, Aaron and Nick looked at each other. That definitely made the decision. They knew who it was Luciano had made calling on Sky’s phone. It had been Tom Nelson, Luciano’s best friend from when Luciano Crinamorte had been Lucien Mulholland and had lived in Islington.

“Who?” demanded Blake.

“Will you quit demanding answers to everything?” asked Connor. He had seen the other four getting annoyed with Blake’s style.

“Why?” demanded Blake.

This time Connor could tell Blake was just doing it to be annoying. “Stop it!” Connor snapped. “Or I swear I’m going to kick you out and we aren’t going to give you a third chance.”

“Three’s the charm,” said Blake, smiling sweetly.

“Will you give it a rest?” asked Luciano, sternly. Luciano’s break-in into the conversation startled Blake. Connor and Zak however, were expecting it.

“But I…” Blake started. “I have to...what’s the reason for this?” He looked around the room. Everyone was staring at him. “Bloody hell, mates, what the hell is going on? Are you trying to teach me a lesson?”

“Yes,” said Connor, before Luciano could fire the swears that were at the tip of his tongue at Blake. “We were trying to teach you a lesson, and I think we did a pretty decent job of it. Don’t you?”

“Of course he doesn’t,” said Zak, rolling his eyes. “He’s never going to accept that he was wrong, and if you think he might even consider accepting it, you’re crazy.”

“He doesn’t want to tell you,” said Aaron. “What’s so hard to understand?” Aaron sighed. “Blake, do you even know the meaning of the word ‘secrets’?”

“Of course,” Blake replied.

“Well,” said Nick, catching onto what Aaron was getting at. “It doesn’t seem like it. It seems like you want your friends to tell you everything about themselves.”

“You’re forgetting we just met weeks ago,” said Luciano. “You can’t possibly believe that I’m going to tell you everything about me. Besides, half of it you wouldn’t understand anyway.”

“Try me,” Blake hissed.

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Luciano.

“Why?” asked Blake. “How bad can it be?”

“It’s not bad,” said Luciano. “You just wouldn’t understand it. And to make the entire story make sense I’d have to go back to the Elizabethan Era. It would take forever. Not to mention you probably wouldn’t believe me.”

“I’ve gotten some pretty wacky stuff thrown at me,” said Blake.

“Trust us,” said Sky. “You don’t want to know any of it.”

“There are things from this that even I don’t understand,” said Nick. “Terrible things go on, you don’t want to know any of them.”

***

Cesare Montalbano gazed across the canal. Balconies branched off of nearly every room in Rodolfo’s palazzo. He was standing in one of the guest bedrooms that he had taken up residence in after getting clearance from Arianna, Rodolfo and Luciano. He had always had a hard time reading Luciano’s mind, but maybe it was a good thing. There were things in Luciano’s past that he didn’t know about, and from the whisperings of Luciano, Rodolfo, Arianna and Doctor Dethridge, he wasn’t so sure he even wanted them to try to explain it. He heard voices wafting through the closed door. It was Arianna, Rodolfo and Doctor Dethridge. No doubt they were discussing Luciano. There was no way he wanted to be involved in any of it. He heard his name crop up a few times, but for the most part he was able to ignore it.       

“Cesare Montalbano.” He hadn’t even noticed someone had come up behind him. It was someone he had never met, but from the way Gaetano, Luciano and Nick had complained about him, he knew exactly who it was. It was Rinaldo d’Chimici.

“What do you want?” asked Cesare.

“Where is your friend?” Rinaldo hissed.

“Why are you here?” Cesare retaliated. “I highly doubt Rodolfo, Arianna, Doctor Dethridge or any of the servants would allow you in here.”

“I crept in,” Rinaldo hissed. “It’s not that difficult. Come on, boy, I’ll take you to your father.”

“He’s dead,” Cesare snapped coldly. “I watched him die. Your deceased cousin, Fabrizio, had him in his dungeons in Bellezza. It killed him.”

“You lie!” Rinaldo snapped. “He’s still alive. He wants to see you.”

_He’s dead and you know it._ Luciano’s voice crept unbidden into Cesare’s mind.

“You’re the one who’s lying!” Cesare snapped. “You’re the one who’s trying to talk me into something. You’re the one who wants to destroy my life! Well, congratulations, you succeeded!”

“I know I did. I know I succeeded. I know you have nowhere to go…”

“Fermarlo, bastardo!” Cesare turned. Standing behind him, looking like he hadn’t just climbed a wall and through a window, was Gaetano d’Chimici. “I’ll deal with him. You get out of here.”

Cesare didn’t need telling twice. He followed orders and ducked out of the room.

"Cousin,” Rinaldo greeted coolly.

“And you,” Gaetano replied, ice glazing his words. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same.”

“Unlike you, I was invited. Like you, I had to find another way in. How did you get inm Rinaldo? Did you have to be the fox you’re known for?”

“Why were you invited?”

“Unlike you Rinaldo, I’m a friend of Rodolfo, Cesare and Luciano. You will never be their friend. You were the one behind capturing Luciano three years ago.”

“How do you know that?”

“They told me, and I have no trouble in believing them.”

“Why do they tell you everything?”

“I’m their friend, Rinaldo.” Gaetano was starting to lose patience with Rinaldo. He was starting what Fabrizio had seen in his older cousin. Rinaldo and Fabrizio thought too much alike. “They tell me what’s going on. They tell me when they need my help. They want me to get rid of you, and believe me I have no problems obeying that order.”

“Tell me you’re not going to kill me.”

“You broke into my friend’s house, Rinaldo. You’re not in a position to negotiate.”

“I thought you were the one breaking in.”

“I was invited, Rinaldo. They trust me.”

“But I’m your cousin.”

“Don’t pull that with me!” Gaetano snapped. “I’m not going to let you get away with anything else. Why do you keeping forgetting that I’m Grand Duke of Tuschia now?”

“Perhaps because it was your brother’s place.”

“And I’m the last of Niccolo’s line. Fabrizio and Niccolo both met their end on Luciano’s sword, Carlo was killed by the Pazzi and then…”

“There was Falco,” Rinaldo spat. “What happened to your youngest brother, Gaetano? Is he dead? Was he murdered? How did he die, Gaetano? I’m dying to know.”

“You will never know the answer,” Gaetano spat. “You have never shown me an ounce of respect! Why do you demand it from me?”

“I’m your elder.”

“Please,” Gaetano snorted. “You aren’t that old.”

“You will…” Rinaldo started.

“Watch your mouth,” said Gaetano. “I may very well have to punch you.”

“Who?” Gaetano turned. Standing behind him were Doctor Dethridge and Rodolfo.

“Who indeed,” said Doctor Dethridge. “Who are you speaking to?”

“Rinaldo d’Chimici, I presume,” said Rodolfo. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe it was you behind capturing Luciano Crinamorte.”

“You know me well then,” said Rinaldo.

“Then I was right?” Rodolfo asked, glaring at Rinaldo and looking for confirmation.

“Yes,” said Rinaldo. “It was I.”

“You really thought you could get away with that?” asked Doctor Dethridge. “He was under the protection of Rodolfo.”

“But he wandered away,” said Rinaldo. “I was the one who gave the orders for Enrico Poggi to capture your apprentice and bring him to that tower. He was never supposed to escape. He was supposed to be brought before Niccolo.”

“As you can see, Rinaldo d’Chimici, your plan didn’t work.”

“Who are you?” Rinaldo snapped.

“You don’t know me?” Luciano questioned. Rinaldo instantly recognized the voice. How could he not? It was the voice of the one many Chimici thought to be a Stravagante. It had been the whole reason for Rinaldo to order Enrico to capture Luciano in the first place.

“Of course I do! Everyone knows who you are, Luciano Crinamorte. Everyone knows about your mysteriously appearance three years ago. I’m sure if you had existed before that, we would’ve heard about you.”

“Even the Chimici can’t know everything about Talia.”

“You’d be surprised how much we know about a city that we don’t control.”

“But it’s the city you’ve been after for years. Silvia always resisted you, and now her daughter is doing the same. Things aren’t looking for you, Chimici.” Luciano spat out the last word in contempt.

“You don’t think we’re more powerful than an eighteen-year-old girl?”

“Of course I do, I’m not that stupid.”

“Luciano,” said Rodolfo.

The name sounded like a warning in Luciano’s mind, but he chose to ignore it. “But Bellezza has a plan; a secret plan that you shall never know. You’d have to torture me for weeks to get it out of me.”

“Luciano.” The warning again. Luciano shoved it aside.

“Don’t play games with me, Crinamorte.”

“I’m not.”

“How can I know that for sure?”

“Test me.”

“This is not a good idea,” said Rodolfo.

“See if I care!” Luciano snapped. He turned back to Rinaldo. Rodolfo stared. Luciano rarely lost his temper, and it usually happened when something or someone he cared about was in danger.

“Tell me the plan,” said Rinaldo simply. “If you tell me the plan Bellezza has cooked up, then maybe I can tell you go.”

“I’ll never tell you,” Luciano hissed.

“Let’s get out of here,” Doctor Dethridge whispered. Rodolfo had a furious battle. Part of him knew that leaving Luciano to deal with Rinaldo d’Chimici was a bad idea. Another part knew that Luciano could wiggle out of this meeting with Rinaldo just as he had done before. Finally, Rodolfo looked at Luciano and Rinaldo in the middle of their heated argument and swept from the room, Doctor Dethridge hurrying behind him.

***

“Are you going to tell me?” Rinaldo hissed.

“No,” Luciano hissed in return. “I shall never tell you any of Bellezza’s secrets. You shall never know more than you find out by sticking your greasy nose in our business. You should know better than that, Chimici.”

“You don’t know anything,” Rinaldo hissed.

“I know more than you think,” Luciano replied.

“I find that hard to believe.”

“You shouldn’t,” Luciano whispered. “You shouldn’t be surprised. Didn’t you hear about what happened in Bellezza?”

“Yes, of course. You murdered my family!”

“They were the ones who drew me into the fight. And I didn’t murder your entire family.”

“Both Fabrizio and Niccolo died at your hand, Carlo only died because you were in Bellezza, and I’m sure Falco’s death had something to do with you as well.”

“That’s absurd. The only part of what you said that’s true is that I killed Fabrizio and Niccolo. I killed Niccolo because I was drawn into the duel and Enrico switched our swords. Niccolo was planning to kill me. It seems that’s all you Chimici ever want to do.”

“I…”

“Don’t even start with me.” Luciano cut Rinaldo off almost before he could begin. “I killed Fabrizio because he’d been killing people off as practice. We got wind of it in Bellezza. Rodolfo had figured out that he was headed to Bellezza next. I was sent to Giglia to stop the murderer. At the time I had no idea it was Fabrizio. It was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you. Carlo and Falco, those were accidents that I just happened to be present for. Falco died of natural causes…”

“What’s natural about a thirteen-year-old dying?” Rinaldo flashed back.

“Let me finish,” Luciano replied as evenly as he could, when faced with a man he wanted dead for everything he had put him and Cesare through. “Carlo was killed by the Nucci at the double Chimici wedding, as you ought to remember.”

“Of course I remember.”

“Good. Then you’ll also remember that I have all of Bellezza behind me. You’re smart enough to know where this is going. I’d suggest you leave before I order the guards to throw you out at sword point.”

“Would you really dare to risk what I could do to you?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a brave little soul, Crinamorte to defy the Chimici this way.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Chimici, as you well know.”

“Everyone knows your story, Crinamorte. Don’t be surprised if it flies across the country.”

“I fear you are too late to begin that, Rinaldo. It has already started.”

“How…?”

“I hear things.” Luciano cut across Rinaldo. “It’s not that hard. I’d suggest you try to sometime, but I know what you think about spending too much time with the lower classes.”

“Then you _have_ learned something.”

“Just not what you wanted it to be.”

“It’s good enough.”

“Don’t you lie to me,” Luciano’s voice came out in a hiss, almost as quiet as a snake. “I won’t let you. You deserve what you got, and you’ll deserve what’s to come.”

“What is to come?”

“You’re not going to make me tell you. You had me under your power once. You’re never going to have that chance again. Not if I can help it.”

“What’ll happen when you’re in the same position you were three years ago?”

“You aren’t even aware what’s happened in your country the last three years, are you, Rinaldo?”

“Of course I am!”

“I wouldn’t think so. Not from the way you react to everything I say.”

“Are you really trying to pin all this on me?”

“I wouldn’t be Dottore Crinamorte’s adopted son if I didn’t want you dead. I wouldn’t still be working for Rodolfo if I wanted you alive, and I most certainly wouldn’t be planning to marry the Duchessa once both our schedules allow it.”

“You really think I’m going to let you do that?”

“Of course you wouldn’t, but you don’t have control over me. You haven’t had control over me for three years.”

“What if I told you I’d always have control over you?”

“Then I wouldn’t be able to do this!”

All the control Luciano had previously had over his voice disappeared. The last sentence came out in a yell of fury. A sword whipped into Rinaldo’s vision. He had barely opened his mouth and let out a scream, before the sword found his guts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Fermarlo, bastardo - Stop it, you bastard


	11. Chapter Ten

“I did it,” Luciano breathed.

“Did what?” Luciano flashed back to the present. Standing nearby were Sky, Nick and Aaron.

“I killed him. He’s dead. He’s never going to get in our way again.”

“What happened?” asked Aaron.

“Rinaldo d’Chimici,” Luciano breathed.

“Wait. What?” asked Nick. As relieved as he was to know what was going on in Luciano’s mind, he didn’t really know what to make of a lot of what Luciano said.

“Rinaldo d’Chimici is dead,” said Sky. He was following what Luciano was saying much better than either Aaron or Nick. Maybe it came from having to figure what his mother wanted when she’d been at the worse part of her illness. Maybe it came from simply having a handle on what was really going on in Bellezza. Sky didn’t know, but the moment Luciano had breathed: “I did it” to the silence of the room, Sky had known exactly whom he was talking about.

“Yes. He’s dead.”

"Great, well, you have about ten minutes before Tom gets here,” said Aaron.

“Lovely,” Luciano grumbled. “I’ll have to explain it all over again.”

“Think of it this way,” said Connor. “This time, you won’t have to explain everything alone.”

Unknown to Luciano, Nick, Aaron and Sky, Connor, Zak and Blake had returned. Riley still wasn’t with them. No doubt he’d closeted himself up in his room, and was thinking about Bradley.

“Have you figured it out?” asked Zak.

“When’s what’s-his-name going to get here?” asked Blake.

“His name is Tom,” said Sky. “You’d do well to remember it.”

“I have a horrible memory,” Blake muttered.

“When’s he getting here?” asked Zak, steering the conversation back to Blake’s original question.

“About five minutes,” said Aaron.

“Not even,” Luciano added.

“Too right you are, Lucien.” Luciano recognized that voice. He had heard it everyday until the cancer had complicated everything.

“Hey, yourself,” Luciano replied, sliding easily back into their traditional greeting.

“What am I here for?” asked Tom. “As excited as I am to see you, what is going on that you couldn’t tell me over the phone?”

“You didn’t tell him anything?” Connor gasped.

“No, nothing,” Luciano replied.

“But…” Connor started.

“I wanted us to explain this to him as a group,” said Luciano. “I wanted him to hear the full story.”

“Okay, I know who you three are,” Tom glanced at Aaron, Nick and Sky. “But who are you?”

“I used to live here,” said Aaron. “These are my friends from that time Connor Lloyd, Zak Reid and Blake Powell. There’s another guy, Riley Russell, but he’s the reason you’re here.”

“What happened?” asked Tom, letting his bag drop to the floor. He could sense a story coming on.

“It’s also the reason we’re here,” said Sky.

“Just tell them already,” said Nick.

“Riley’s brother Bradley jumped off Brighton Pier,” said Connor. “We think it was a suicide. Luciano told Riley, and now we think he’s going down the same path.”

“It seems like you six have a pretty good idea of what’s going on,” said Tom. “I don’t know why I’m here.”

“I was hoping you could help him out of it,” said Luciano.

“Does this have anything to with you?” asked Tom, hoping very much that wasn’t why he was here.

“I know it probably seems like we’re using you,” Luciano began. Tom sighed. He’d been afraid of this, but the opportunity to see Lucien again had overtaken him and he’d taken a train all the way to the coast.

“You’re right,” said Tom, trying to keep the note of anger out of his voice. “That’s exactly what it feels like.”

“I told you this how he’d react,” Luciano hissed over his shoulder. He turned back to Tom. “Look, I’m not looking for a miracle here, I just want you to give it a shot. Plus, we’ll get to hang out again.”

“When he’s not zapping back to Bellezza to kill people,” Nick muttered.

“What?” asked Tom.

“We’ll have plenty of time for you to hear the story,” said Luciano, he tried to walk past Tom, and outside.

Tom grabbed Luciano’s arm, whirling him around. “No. I’m sorry, Luce. I can’t. If you’re just going to do this, I’m going to home. I want the story, and I want it now.”

“Lucien?” The voice came from the hallway. Luciano broke his gaze with Tom, and looked through the doorway. Standing there, leaning against one of the pillars that split the hallway from the living room, was Riley.

“Hey, Riley,” called Luciano. Tom turned. “Riley, this my friend from Islington, Tom Nelson. Tom, this is Riley Russell, Bradley’s brother.” Riley hissed at the mention of his brother’s name.

“Don’t throw that around,” Riley hissed.

“Riley, it’s okay.” Tom immediately recognized himself in Riley. He had acted exactly the same way for months after Lucien’s “death”. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you.”

Riley nodded. “Okay.”

“Come with me.” Tom led Riley through the room.

“Do you really think Tom can help Riley?” asked Aaron, the instant Tom and Riley had disappeared.

“I think so,” said Luciano. “I could see it in his eyes. He could see himself in Riley.”

“What do you mean?” Connor asked.

Luciano sighed. He hated having to lie to Aaron’s friends, but there was no way getting around it. There was no way Connor, Riley, Zak or Blake could know he was a Stravagante. If he told, he didn’t even want to know what Rodolfo would do to him.

“Lucien?”

Luciano drew out of his thoughts, and began his lie. “When we were younger, Tom had this cousin named Max that he looked up to. Other than me, Max was his best friend. One day, he got a phone call it was from Max’s older brother, Andre. Andre told him that he was sorry, but Max died in a skiing accident in the Swiss Alps. Tom missed all sorts of school, and I had to help him through it.”

***

Rodolfo was fuming. News had just been brought to him that Luciano had gotten into an argument with Rinaldo d’Chimici, the Reman Ambassador, and it had ended with Luciano stabbing him. Rodolfo could see why. It was Rinaldo’s fault that Luciano was “Luciano” in the first place. It was Rinaldo who had given the order to lock Luciano up in a high tower three years before without a way to get back to Anglia. But there was another issue to contend with. Luciano had already killed the last two Grand Dukes of Tuschia. Though the current one was obviously safe as he and Luciano had become friends over the last two years.

“What’s wrong?”

Rodolfo hadn’t even heard the door opening. “It’s Luciano,” Rodolfo replied, knowing that it was Cesare or Arianna or both.

“What has he done now?” Rodolfo turned around to face his daughter and his apprentice’s friend.

“He’s killed the Reman Ambassador,” Rodolfo replied.

“Is there a reason?” Arianna asked. “If there is, I’m not surprised.”

“Being that he’s the one who tortured both of us,” said Cesare. “I’d say he definitely has a reason.”

“Was it really necessary for Luciano to kill him though?” asked Rodolfo.

Arianna laid a hand on Rodolfo’s arm. “I think you should wait until he gets back, Rodolfo. You need to hear the entire story. You shouldn’t just be making projections. You need to trust him.”

“How do I trust him when he keeps doing this?”

Cesare took his turn. “Rodolfo, every murder Luciano has committed has been in self defense. Niccolo’s murder, he didn’t realize he was doing it until it happened. Fabrizio’s murder, he was ridding Talia of a psychopath. Rinaldo’s murder, he defending himself.” Cesare paused. “None of it was without reason, Rodolfo. Even if it doesn’t make sense in your mind, it must’ve made sense in Luciano’s, otherwise he wouldn’t have done it.”

“They’re right you know,” Rodolfo looked over Arianna’s shoulder. Arianna and Cesare turned around. Standing in the doorway, was Luciano.

“You have got to stop doing that,” Arianna muttered. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”

“I know, but right now, I really don’t have a choice,” said Luciano.

“You’ve always had a choice,” said Cesare. “You still do. You always will.”

“What do I have to do to make you guys see I have to do this?” asked Luciano.

“Fine!” Arianna snapped. “Kill yourself again! Just don’t ask me to watch!” She stormed out of the room.

An awkward silence settled over the room, as the door slammed behind Arianna.

“I’m going to bed,” said Luciano. He glanced at Rodolfo and Cesare. “Do either of you have a problem with that?”

“No,” said Cesare.

“Go,” said Rodolfo. Luciano gave them the briefest of nods, before disappearing out of the room.

Cesare turned to face Rodolfo. “Do you think one of us should go after him?”

Rodolfo sighed. Truth be told, he really wanted to force Luciano to stay in Bellezza and get the rest he so obviously needed. “No,” Rodolfo replied. “He knows the risks. He’s going to stretch himself a little too thin, but he’s going to be fine.”

***

_“Do you really think this is good idea?”_

_“I don’t know, maybe Luc will give us a better idea.”_

_"Is trusting him really a good idea right now?”_

_“We should give him some space.”_

_“What is with you, Sky? Do you really think...”_

_“I think I know him a bit better than you, Zak!”_

_“Really?”_

_“Of course.”_

_"I don’t think you know him all that well, Sky. How much do you really know about the secrets he’s so obviously keeping?”_

_“More than you’ll ever know.”_

“Zak, accept that my past will always be a mystery to you.”

Everyone looked startled. They looked towards the doorway. They were shocked that Luciano had heard their conversation.

“How much of that did you hear?” Connor asked.

“Enough to know that Zak is trying to pry my past out of my friends,” was Luciano’s reply.

“So are you going to tell me or am I going to have to keep at it?” asked Zak.

“You wouldn’t understand!” Luciano looked at Tom. He had rarely heard Tom raise his voice.

“I’d understand more than you think,” said Zak.

“You’re never going to know,” said Aaron. An awkward silence spread through the room.

“Look, I’m not why we’re here,” said Luciano, after a couple moments of tense silence. “We’re here because of Riley.”

“And he’s not taking it well,” said Connor.

“That much is obvious,” said Nick. “Where are we going to go from here?”

“That’s why we’re here in the first place,” said Luciano.

“I think we need to go over there and talk to him,” said Sky. “We need to explain everything.”

***

Once again, the group piled into Connor’s beat-up truck. Zak took shotgun and Blake drove, everyone agreed that having the group of Islington with either of them in the back was a bad idea. As Blake started the truck, Connor, Sky, Aaron, Nick, Tom and Luciano piled into the back. Connor gave the all-clear sign, and Blake peeled out of the Lloyd’s driveway and down the street.

“We went past it,” said Aaron, after ten minutes.

“We did?” Blake called out of the window.

“Yes!” Aaron yelled back.

“Bloody hell,” Blake muttered, and spun the truck around in the middle of the street, and swung crazily into Riley’s driveway.

“Bloody hell,” Sky muttered. “Remind me to never get in a car with Blake driving ever again.”

“Yeah, that probably wasn’t the best idea,” Connor acknowledged, unlatching the back and jumping down.

“Never again,” Nick muttered, jumping out.

The group jumped out their respective seats and crowded into the path leading to Riley’s house.

“How do we want to do this?” asked Blake.

“Seriously, you guys, you didn’t even make a plan?” asked Aaron.

“You know how we roll, Aaron,” said Zak. “When was the last time we made a plan for anything?”

Aaron glared at his former friend. He really wanted to tell Zak that they had made a plan once or twice, but the reality was Zak, Riley, Connor, Blake and Aaron had never made a plan in any of their adventures together. Not wanting to admit that Zak was right, Aaron settled for glaring.

“So you’re saying Zak’s right?” Blake asked.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “I’m not even going to bother to respond to that.”

“So you’re never going to admit I’m right?” asked Zak.

“I think you know my answer,” said Aaron, trying to sound bored.

“So by not responding you’re saying I’m right?” asked Zak.

“Stop it,” said Connor. “Look, we’re here to talk to Riley. Not deal with a petty argument that we could have at any time. I think Riley’s going to give us one shot at explaining this to him, and if you’re not careful you three are going to fuck it up for all of us.”

“Fine,” said Aaron. “I’ll stop if he will.”

“Neither of them are going to stop,” Connor muttered to Luciano.

“Wait and see,” Luciano muttered back. Connor looked at Luciano curiously. He turned to Zak, Aaron and Blake. “Stop!” he said firmly. “Stop this right now.” Startled, Aaron, Blake and Zak turned to Luciano. Luciano glanced back at Connor. “Told you,” he mouthed, before turning to the three quarrelling boys again. “We’re here to talk to Riley, not sort out your petty problems with each other. We’re here as group, and I’ll thank you to remember that.”

***

Riley Russell was curled up on Bradley’s bed, when he heard the sounds of someone trying to break down the door. Pulling the covers over his head, he tried to ignore the pounding. A couple minutes later, his father’s voice made him cringe into the pillows.

“Riley!” Mr. Russell called up the stairs. “You’re wanted in the living room!”

“Coming, Dad!” Riley called. He knew it was either his friends from school whom he would like to see or it was Aaron’s friends from Islington who were invading his life. He knew Aaron hadn’t meant it like that. He had simply wanted his friends from Islington to meet his friends from Brighton. But Riley could tell that Aaron was slowly leaving Blake, Zak, Connor and him behind, and he was much happier with his life in Islington, than he’d ever been in Brighton. Sighing, Riley went downstairs. The instant he walked into the room, he wanted to turn around and run right back up the stairs.

“I’ll let you eight deal with this,” Mr. Russell muttered, going into the kitchen.

“Riley, wait,” said Luciano, catching hold of Riley’s arm, as Riley made a run for the stairs. “Just hear us out.”

“Why are you here?” Riley asked.

“We want to tell you the truth,” said Connor.

“I know what the truth is!” Riley snapped. “Bradley’s dead! He’s not coming back! It was an accident!”

“It wasn’t an accident, Riley,” said Luciano. “I’ve told you before.”

“So you weren’t lying?” Riley asked, relaxing.

“No,” said Sky. “We weren’t lying when we told you we thought Bradley committed suicide.”

“So it’s true?” asked Riley. “He planned it?”

“That’s what we think,” said Nick.

“Ri,” Aaron whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“Connor, I think you’d better tell the story,” said Luciano. “If Zak or Blake do it, they’re bound to mess something up, and then I’d get involved, and, well… You are the best choice.”

“Connor, what’s going on?” Riley asked.

Connor sighed. He knew he would have to do this sometime. Taking a deep breath, Connor began his story: “We had a feeling something was wrong before it happened. When I saw Bradley around the house, I could tell something was different about him. For a time I didn’t know what was wrong. Then he started to ditch his own friends and came looking for us. At first, it seemed odd, strange even. I couldn’t come up with an idea that made sense given the circumstances.

“Then he became obsessed with jumping off the pier. I couldn’t see why until the day after Aaron left. That’s when I first tried it. I learned to love the thrill of flying through the air for those few seconds. I introduced you three to it. We learned to love it as he loved it. But he did it in a different way, for a different purpose.” Connor paused, laying a hand on Riley. “I want you to understand, Riley, that Bradley never came to us with his problems. He just started doing it obsessively and I noticed. I noticed that it seemed like he was doing it to hurt himself. It barely ever happened, but when he did it, his face was dead serious, not the fun-loving faces of us.

“When he finally did it, it was a shock. But I had seen it coming. I’ve been destroying myself over this since it happened. I keep thinking that I could’ve been the one to stop it all.”

Riley stayed silent. He ran a hand through his light brown hair. “I don’t want to believe it,” he whispered, finally.

“It wasn’t a picnic for us either,” Connor whispered back.

Riley raised his head. “I’m sorry I ran,” he said, daring to meet Luciano’s eyes.

Luciano smiled. “We’re not blaming you,” he said, firmly.

"If there’s anyone in this room who should be blaming themselves, it’s me,” said Connor. “I was one of the first to realize that something wrong was going on with Bradley.”

“You’re not to blame either, Connor,” said Tom. “You couldn’t have guessed what was going to happened.”

“Who the hell is this guy?” Riley snapped. “Who’s he to place judgments on us?”

“I asked him to come here because one of our friends from Islington died from brain cancer three years,” said Luciano. “Me and Tom were two of his closest friends. We were the only ones who accepted him, even after the cancer had ravaged through his body.”

“I don’t want his judgments,” said Riley.

“I can help you,” said Tom.

“I don’t want your help!” Riley snapped. “I don’t want it and I don’t need it!”

“What if I want you to have it?” asked Aaron. “What if I asked you to just try it?”

“What if I don’t consider you to be my friend anymore?” asked Riley.

“Riley,” said Connor, softly. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Of course I do,” Riley replied. “I know what I’m saying. I don’t want Aaron here.”

“Do you know what you’re saying?” Luciano asked.

Riley snorted. “Of course I do.”

“Bradley wouldn’t have wanted this for you,” said Zak.

“I thought you weren’t talking,” said Blake.

“I thought you weren’t either,” said Zak, drily. Blake just glared at Zak.

“How do you know what Bradley would’ve wanted?” Riley asked.

“Because we don’t want this for you,” said Aaron.

“Riley, I…” Sky started, but Riley leapt up and darted for the door.

For a few minutes the group just looked at each other.

“Should we go after him?” asked Zak.

Connor glared. “You are crazy?” he asked. “Of course we should go after him. Who knows what he might do.”

“Sure that’s the right thing…” Zak started.

“Fine!” Blake snapped, cutting over Zak. “Don’t come! Let’s see what happens if we don’t do anything! Want to know what will happen if we don’t? He’s going to die, Zak. His end is going to be the same as Bradley if we don’t do something.”


	12. Chapter Eleven

Cesare leaned on the railing of Luciano’s balcony, looking down into the palazzo. He glared at the pigeons ferretting around for crumbs dropped by careless tourists and distracted locals. He focused most of his gaze on a particularly fat one who seemed to want it all for himself.

“Glutton,” Cesare muttered, sending another sharp glare at the fat pigeon. He kept his gaze on a group of people he couldn’t tell where they were from. They were either locals, or they had learned the local styles so well they could seamlessly blend in.  

Cesare ignored everything that was happening around him. He ignored the rapid Talian coming from the hallway. He knew what was being said, he knew it had to do with what was going on in Anglia. He knew it was Rodolfo and Arianna. He didn’t care. He didn’t care about it. He didn’t care who won or lost. He just wanted everything to go back to normal. Unfortunately, normal for Cesare wasn’t what others would call normal. Normal for Cesare was what was going on right now. It was Luciano going off. It was Rodolfo being angry. It was the arguments that ensued.

Cesare sighed, glaring at the palazzo. He really didn’t want to deal with the argument or Rodolfo’s reaction when he came out of Luciano’s rooms.

“Qual è il tuo problema? Cosa c’è di sbagliato con Luciano cercando di aiutare I suoi amici? Faresti la stessa identica cosa, Rodolfo! Lo so che lo farei!” Arianna snapped.

“Lo so, ma questo è diverso,” said Rodolfo, trying to explain.

“Che differenza può essare? Perchè ci si può drenare e nessare dice mai niente? Poi il secondo Luciano propone anche quello che lo stesso, a licenziare una sorta di stronzate ragione per cui non dovrebbe!”

Privately, Cesare could see both sides of the story. He could see that they were both trying to protect Luciano in their own way. Rodolfo was trying to keep him from doing something he wanted to do, and Arianna was trying to support him in what he wanted to do. But Cesare was privy to Luciano’s thoughts, something that Rodolfo and Arianna were both ignoring. Sure, they would listen to him, and they both cared about him in their own way, but neither one of them had his ear like Cesare, Nick, Aaron and Sky did.

“Sei tu quello che non è la comprensione. Non hai idea di cosa succede quando lo facciamo troppo.”

“Pensi davvero che Luciano non ha cercato di spiegare a me? Pensi davvero che non mi accorgo quando è stanco da Stravaganting? Pensi davvero che non vedo tanto come o Luciano? Beh, ti sbagli! Mi rendo conto queste cose! Vedo tutto quello che mi stai dicendo troppo! Ti sbagli, Rodolfo!”

"Sto cercando di proteggerti!”

“No mi interessa! Non vedo la differenza!”

“Cose terribili sono accadute Stravagantes che non hanno preso la cura di se stressi. Ho avuto amici che sono stati Stravagantes si uccidono perché non c’era nessuno li per proteggere se stessi da oltre farlo. Si potrebbe non capire questo, Arianna, ma lo sto facendo per aiutarlo. Lo sto facendo in modo da non rimanere intrappolati nella posizione mi trovi. Credimi, Arianna, è una posizione terribile per trovere te stesso in quando è successo a Renzo, non ha voglia di fare niente. Volevo risposte, ma nessuno era disposto a darmi le risposte che cerca. Solo che non voglio che accada a voi.”

“Credo di capire perché ha agito come hai fatto tu.”

“Sei sicuro?” As Arianna and Rodolfo’s voices slid to a conversation level, Cesare stepped away from the door, and returned to his spot on Luciano’s balcony. He had thought about appearing and making them see sense, but he also had known that Arianna and Rodolfo needed to learn to solve their disagreements without him or Luciano stepping in all the time.

A second later a graceful tapping sounded.

“Signore Crinamorte?” a voice called out. Cesare sighed. Obviously the news that Luciano was gone hadn’t gotten to the servants yet. With a sigh, Cesare opened the door.

“Non è qui in questo momento,” said Cesare, trying to keep the annoyed note out of his voice.

"Oh, mi dispiace, signore,” said the servant. “Hai bisogno di qualcosa?”

“No, per favore lasciatemi,” Cesare replied, barely keeping his voice neutral.

The servant nodded, and retreated. With a sigh, Cesare slid out the door. He didn’t want to be disturbed again, and if he stayed in Luciano’s rooms much longer another servant was bound to show up looking for Luciano.

***

Cesare spent much of his night on the prowl. As soon as he had grabbed food from the kitchens, he’d returned to his own room and had eaten it, sitting on a balcony overlooking the same palazzo he’d glared at for much of the day. When he was done, he threw the bits he hadn’t eaten over the railing for the pigeons and had crept out of his room.

He wandered the hallways; trying to forget about the argument he’d heard earlier. He wanted to forget what had been said, but he was turning the words over in his mind. Trying to look at it from all angles.

“Are you all right?” Cesare jumped. Standing behind him was Arianna.

“Yes,” Cesare replied.

“I’m sorry I snuck up on you like that.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s not really a big deal. I was just thinking.”

“Thinking?” Arianna mused. “Thinking about what?”

Cesare sighed. He’d known that if Arianna caught him she’d question what he was thinking about. “I overheard you and Rodolfo.”

Arianna sighed. “That wasn’t for you to hear.”

Cesare nodded. “I know, but I was on Luciano’s balcony, and I couldn’t help it.”

“I would think you would’ve known better.”

“I should. You’re right.” Cesare eyed Arianna. “You’re going to punish me aren’t you?”

“Not tonight, Cesare,” said Arianna. “This entire place had too much on its mind tonight. It wouldn’t be fair to just punish you.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve given my judgment. Don’t question it.”

“I…” Cesare started.

Arianna shook her head. “What did I just tell you?”

“To not question it.”

“Exactly. You’d do well to obey.” Arianna swept past Cesare and headed for the door.

“Arianna?”

“What is it now?” The question came out louder and harsher than Arianna had meant.

“I’m sorry,” came Cesare’s whisper. “I’ll ask tomorrow.”

“No, don’t,” Arianna doubled back. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired, but tell me now.”

“Thank-you. For not punishing me.”

“That wasn’t the real reason you called me back.”

“What do you think is going to happen with Luciano?”

“I don’t know,” Arianna replied. “I should know. I know him better than everyone in Bellezza, except maybe you or Rodolfo. That’s why I’m so worried. I should know why this matters so much to him, but I don’t.”

“And that’s what scares you, isn’t it?”

Arianna paused, soaking up the silence and Cesare’s words. “Yes, that’s what scares me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Qual è il tuo problema? Cosa c’è di sbagliato con Luciano cercando di aiutare I suoi amici? Faresti la stessa identica cosa, Rodolfo! Lo so che lo farei - What is your problem? What is wrong with Luciano trying to help his friends? You'd do the exact same thing, Rodolfo! I know that I would
> 
> Lo so, ma questo è diverso - I know, but this is different
> 
> Che differenza può essare? Perchè ci si può drenare e nessare dice mai niente? Poi il secondo Luciano propone anche quello che lo stesso, a licenziare una sorta di stronzate ragione per cui non dovrebbe! - What difference can there be? Because you can do it while drained and he never says anything? Then the second Luciano proposes the same, you give him some bullshit reason why not!
> 
> Sei tu quello che non è la comprensione. Non hai idea di cosa succede quando lo facciamo troppo - You're the one who is not understanding. You have no idea what happens when we do it
> 
> Pensi davvero che Luciano non ha cercato di spiegare a me? Pensi davvero che non mi accorgo quando è stanco da Stravaganting? Pensi davvero che non vedo tanto come o Luciano? Beh, ti sbagli! Mi rendo conto queste cose! Vedo tutto quello che mi stai dicendo troppo! Ti sbagli, Rodolfo! - Do you think Luciano did not try to explain it to me? Do you think I don't notice when he's tired from Stravaganting? Do you think I do not see as much as you or Luciano? Well, you're wrong! I notice these things! I see everything you're telling me too! You're wrong, Rodolfo!
> 
> Sto cercando di proteggerti! - I'm trying to protect you!
> 
> No mi interessa! Non vedo la differenza! - I'm not interested! I don't see the difference
> 
> Cose terribili sono accadute Stravagantes che non hanno preso la cura di se stressi. Ho avuto amici che sono stati Stravagantes si uccidono perché non c’era nessuno li per proteggere se stessi da oltre farlo. Si potrebbe non capire questo, Arianna, ma lo sto facendo per aiutarlo. Lo sto facendo in modo da non rimanere intrappolati nella posizione mi trovi. Credimi, Arianna, è una posizione terribile per trovere te stesso in quando è successo a Renzo, non ha voglia di fare niente. Volevo risposte, ma nessuno era disposto a darmi le risposte che cerca. Solo che non voglio che accada a voi - Terrible things have happened to Stravaganti who did not take care of themselves when they're stressed out. I've had friends who were Stravaganti kill themselves because there was nobody there to protect them from overdoing it. You might not understand this, Arianna, but I'm doing it to help him. I'm doing it so he doesn't get caught in the same position. Believe me, Arianna, it was a terrible position I was in when it happened to Renzo. I didn't feel like doing anything. I wanted answers, but no one was willing to give me the answers I seeked. I don't want it to happen to you too
> 
> Credo di capire perché ha agito come hai fatto tu - I think I understand why you acted the way you did
> 
> Sei sicuro? - Are you sure?
> 
> Non è qui in questo momento - He is not here right now
> 
> Oh, mi dispiace, signore. Hai bisogno di qualcosa? - Oh, I'm sorry, sir. Do you need something?
> 
> No, per favore lasciatemi - No, please leave me


	13. Chapter Twelve

Arianna Rossi leaned against the wall of her sitting area. Her conversation with Cesare the day before had given her much to think about. She hadn’t wanted to admit that she was scared about what Luciano was doing. He’d been doing it since they met. It shouldn’t scare her anymore, but somehow it did. Somehow, even though she knew Rodolfo would never let it happen, she thought that one of these days Luciano would never come back. He would get stuck in Anglia and never return to her. She knew it was crazy. She knew that it would never happen, but somehow she still couldn’t shake the thought after three years of thinking about it.

Her mind was too full of thoughts to think about anything clearly. She ran a hand through her long brown hair, letting strands fall out of the loose braid Barbara has spun it into for nighttime. Thoughts raged and swirled around her head. She sighed. Her breath swirled through the air and around the room.

“Are you all right?” Arianna turned to the doorway. Barbara stood there. Her own hair was spun into a style similar to Arianna’s. A candle sputtered in its holder in her hand. Her other hand held the door to Arianna’s bedchamber open.

“Yes, of course,” Arianna replied, turning away from the window.

“Are you certain?” asked Barbara. The full moon shone through the window, sending spiderwebs of moonlight across the stone floor.

“I’m certain,” came Arianna’s soft reply.

“I don’t believe you.” Arianna had long ago given Barbara permission to speak her mind when they were alone. Barbara had only taken advantage of it a few times, and usually it was when Arianna’s mind was too full for sleep. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Arianna sighed. She really did want to tell Barbara what was bothering her, but she didn’t know how to explain any of it without betraying Rodolfo or Luciano. “I don’t know how to explain it without betraying certain people.”

“By certain people do you mean Rodolfo and Luciano?” Barbara asked, shutting the door so their talk was even more private.

“Yes,” Arianna replied, relieved that she hadn’t had to spell it out to Barbara up to this point. “Do you know anything about what happens in Rodolfo’s study?”

“Not really, no.”

“Then I’d better explain. Doctor Dethridge opened a gateway between our world and 21st century Anglia, which is called England. That’s where Luciano came from.”

“But…” Barbara started.

Arianna smiled, guessing where Barbara was going with her question. “How can he live here?” Barbara nodded. “Three years ago, Luciano got very sick in his own world, he was dying, but here, he was healthy. Whatever he had, it didn’t come over with him into this world. When he died in his world, he Stravaganted here permanently. He can now Stravagant from here to 21st century England. That’s where he’s been for so long. But Stravaganting does have drawbacks. One of those is tiredness. When it’s daytime in our world, it’s nighttime there and visa versa. A Stravagante barely gets any sleep because it.” Arianna paused. “I don’t want you telling anyone any of this.”

“I won’t.”

“Only a select group of people know about this. Rodolfo, me, Cesare, any of Luciano’s friends from the other world, and Doctor Dethridge.”

“I won’t speak of it.”

“Good,” Arianna studied Barbara. “And I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone about this conversation either. Anyone of the people I just mentioned are fine, but mention this conversation to anyone else, and I will have no choice but to dismiss you from my service. I have no wish to do such a thing, so don’t give me reason too.”

“I won’t.”

“Good. I thought I could count on you.”

***

“I told Barbara.”

“What?”

“I told her everything.”

“What?”

Early the next morning, Arianna had decided that it would be a bad idea to keep Rodolfo in the dark about Barbara’s knowledge of the Stravagante. Rodolfo’s reaction to the news had been anything but pleasant. All he’d been able to say for a long minute was “what?” Arianna had to exact her patience. Patience had always been one of her best qualities, except in times of crisis. It was why she had thought she could get away with staying on top of the basilica all night three years ago in the first place. She had thought she really could escape her boring life on the island of Torrone and become a mondolier. Unfortunately, it hadn’t played out the way she had planned, and in the beginning she’d been angry with Luciano for ruining her plan. Now she knew it hadn’t been his fault. At the time he’d had no idea he was a Stravagante. It hadn’t been in his plans to ruin her plan of escaping Torrone.

“Let me get this straight,” said Rodolfo, after a moment. Arianna sighed. She had known this was coming. She’d had her reasons for telling Barbara, and she wasn’t going to back out now. “Barbara knows?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell her the details?”

“Not all of them. It would’ve taken too long.”

Rodolfo nodded. When he himself had explained the history of the Stravagante to Luciano, he’d glossed over certain parts. Only when Luciano had translated to Talia for good and they had unlimited time, did Rodolfo tell Luciano every detail of the history of the Stravagante going back to when Gugliemo Crinamorte had opened the gate between worlds. “It is a rather long and involved story. Do you think you did justice?”

Arianna hadn’t considered this question. “I believe so,” she replied after giving it a moment’s thought.

“Good,” said Rodolfo.

"Aren’t you going to scold me?” It had been what Arianna had been expecting from the moment she’d started telling the story to Barbara.

“No. I know Barbara helped you carry out your visits to Luciano in Padua. I know you trust her as much as Silvia did Susanna. I couldn’t ask you to keep such a big part of your life from her.”

“So you’re not going to punish either one of us?”

“I’m angry because you didn’t consult me before you did so, but I understand why you did it. I see no reason to tell you to dismiss her or for you do something to her that’s even more extreme.”

 _What’s more extreme than dismissing her?_ The thought glanced across Arianna’s mind. She shoved it aside. She didn’t even want to think about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Basilica - church


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Riley Russell ignored the yells. He had to get out of that house. Away from everyone and everything that reminded him of Bradley. He would never admit to anyone how much he truly missed his brother. He knew they had some guess, but they would never know the truth. That he lay awake in bed for hours every night, wishing that he’d known how far gone Bradley really was at the end.

Riley didn’t know how many times he’d tried to make sense of what Bradley had done. It hadn’t made much more sense to any of the people Bradley used to hang out with. He didn’t know what had triggered any of Bradley’s changes. Bradley had changed in the last six months of his life. He no longer hung out with people his own age, preferring the company of Connor, Zak, Blake and Riley over the people he’d met through college and uni. As far as Riley knew none of Bradley’s friends had an answer either.

Riley ran down to the pier. He could still hear Lucien’s words with every step he took. Riley ignored the voice in his head telling him to stop. As he ran to the pier, he thought he saw the group Bradley had hung out with. Among them were Eli, Warren and Colin.

“All right there, Riley?” Colin called. Riley ignored him. He ignored the puzzled looks Colin cast Eli and Warren.

“Leave him alone,” said Warren. “He’s probably trying to absorb this just like the rest of us.”

“You think?” asked Eli. “I’d think that would be obvious him being Brad’s brother and all.” Colin only sent a glare in Eli’s direction before turning his attention back to Riley. Riley was leaning over the concrete, looking into the water below Brighton Pier.

“I can tell you’re talking about me,” Riley murmured into the water.

“Riley?” Colin asked, approaching him. Warren and Eli followed.

“What do you want? Do you want to tell me that Brad told you everything? Do you want to tell me some secret Brad kept from me? Do you…?”

“Riley, calm down.” Warren’s voice was quiet, but firm.

“I am!” Riley snapped.

Warren placed a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “You’re not calm. You need to calm down.” Riley let out a breath. “Good. Now, let me tell you something. Brad’s death was as much of a shock to us as it was to you. None of us expected it, least of me and I knew Bradley longer than anyone on this pier except you.”

“So what, it’s a mystery?” Warren, Eli and Colin turned. Riley looked up. Standing behind Warren, Colin and Eli were Luciano, Nick, Aaron, Sky, Zak, Tom, Connor and Blake. The speaker was Sky.

“Who are you?” asked Eli.

Luciano sighed. “That’s not important right now.”

“We have a right to know,” said Eli.

“Just tell them, Lucien,” said Riley.

“I’m Lucien, and this is Nick, Aaron, Sky, Zak, Tom, Blake and Connor.” Luciano was careful to say the English form of his name, rather than the Talian. He really didn’t want to get stuck in same position Blake, Zak and Connor had made a habit of sticking him in.

“You used to live here right?” asked Colin.

“Yeah, I moved to Islington a year ago,” Aaron replied. “I was one of Riley’s friends.” Aaron sent a glare at Connor, Zak and Blake. “They still resent me for leaving them.”

“Well we certainly don’t blame you,” said Warren.

“Thanks for that,” said Aaron.

“Hard to argue it was your choice to move,” said Eli.

“It wasn’t my choice,” said Aaron.

“How do we know it wasn’t?” Blake asked.

“Will you just believe me and get over it?” Aaron demanded.

“I doubt it,” said Blake.

Aaron just glared at Blake before turning back to Eli, Warren and Colin. “So, Bradley never said anything or revealed anything about why he did it, or even that he was going to do it at all?”

“No,” Warren replied. “It was just as much of a shock to his family as it was to us.”

“Is it true he was drawing away from you at the time?” asked Luciano.

“Yeah,” said Colin. “He kept making all these excuses to not hang out with us. I don’t think we ever came up with an answer as to why he did it.”

Luciano sighed. He should’ve known this was what he was going to be facing. Nothing in his life was ever as easy as everyone else made it out to be. In Talia, he was a hero for killing Fabrizio. Even a year later, he couldn’t leave Bellezza without someone bowing to him as if he was a god. He knew it wouldn’t get any easier once he’d married Arianna.

“So it’s true?” asked Aaron. Luciano could detect a note of panic in his voice. The last time he’d panicked was when Luciano had taken him aside and had told him what was going on and why Connor, Zak and Blake had wanted him to come back to Brighton.

“Yes,” said Warren. He sounded unbelievably calm for someone who had lost a friend. “We didn’t know what was happening. We had no idea that Brad was even considering that option.” Warren paused. “If we had known, we would’ve tried to stop him. We would’ve been there when he was getting ready to jump over, but we didn’t.”

Warren’s words seemed to stop the bickering. Everyone seemed to understand that Bradley had somehow done it without the knowledge of his friends or family.

“Do you want to hear about when we first started to see something wrong?” asked Colin. Luciano and his friends nodded.

***

_Bradley leaned against Brighton Pier, looking out over the ocean. Somehow it was much calmer here than any place else._

_“Brad!” He didn’t have to turn to know that Warren, Eli and Colin had found him, and Eli was the one calling him. “Bradley!” Eli called again._

_“What?” asked Bradley, irritably, not even looking away from the water far below._

_“What’s been going on with you lately?” Colin asked. “You’re hardly ever around. We haven’t seen you in weeks. What’s going on?”_

_“I’m…”_

_“We’re not here to hear your excuses,” said Warren. “We want the truth, and we want it now.”_

_“I’m sorry,” Bradley whispered into the waves. “I can’t.”_

_Warren grabbed Bradley’s shoulder and whirled him around. “Stop lying to us,” said Warren firmly. “We’re your friends. You’re supposed to be able to tell us things. We’re supposed to be there for you.”_

_“You think I don’t know that!” Bradley snapped. “You think I want your help? I don’t want your help! That’s why I came here!”_

_“Did you really think we wouldn’t find you?” Colin asked._

_“I didn’t know,” Bradley replied. “I just thought I could get away from it all and just think.”_

_“We’re not going to let just do that without…” Colin started._

_“I don’t want your concern!” Bradley erupted again. “I want you to stay out my life!”_

_“You don’t really mean that, do you?” asked Eli._

_“I do! Now stay out of my way!” Bradley pushed Warren off of him, and stormed away, past Colin and Eli. The three of them looked after Bradley in shock. They had just been trying to check up on him, not ruin his life. They weren’t trying to do anything bad to him. They were just worried, and there was nothing wrong with that. Or so they thought._

_“What do we do now?” Colin asked, after a few moments of silence, where they just looked down the pier into the crowd where Bradley had disappeared._

_“Honestly, I have no idea,” said Warren. “I don’t think we should go after him. He’s angry enough at us as it is.”_

***

“Did you ever figure out why he erupted like that?” asked Nick.

“Never,” said Eli. “We were kinda hoping you could help us.”

“Why?” asked Blake. “You’ve never been nice to us. You’ve never asked for our help before.”

“And now we need it,” said Eli. “We’re prepared to help you in anyway we can.”

“I’m…” Blake started.

“Give them a chance,” Zak whispered. Everyone looked at Blake, who ducked under the pressure.

“Fine,” said Blake. “Just know that if I don’t like what I hear, I’m leaving.”

“Deal,” said Colin.

“Did he ever erupt before that?” asked Luciano. “Even for a second?” Eli, Colin and Warren shook their heads. “Aaron? Riley?”

“I don’t…” Riley started.

“Yes,” said Aaron, cutting across Riley. “I saw him erupt the day before I left Brighton a year ago. You weren’t there. You didn’t see him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone that scared before.”

“So he was scared?” asked Luciano, only looking for confirmation.

“Yes,” said Aaron, so firmly that no one could deny it, even if Aaron had been the only one present at the time it occurred. “He was definitely scared. I was going to go up to him and see if he was all right, but something stopped me. Something told me that it was bad idea. I still haven’t figured it out.”

“Not everything has an answer,” said Tom, he glanced over at Luciano. In an instant, Nick, Sky, Aaron, and Luciano knew what was flashing through Tom’s head.

“We’ll have to talk about that later,” said Luciano. “It doesn’t relate to this at all.” He turned to Colin, Warren and Eli. “Look, all I can say it that we’ll try. We’re looking for things of our own that we’re hoping will piece all this together. We’d like your help.”

Colin, Warren and Eli glanced at each other, before nodding. “I’m not sure how much help we’ll be,” said Eli. “But if you want us to be there, then we will be.”

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Luciano replied.

***

“Luciano! Wake up!” Luciano woke to Nick’s yells.

He sat up in bed, grabbing Nick’s arm in the same movement. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Riley,” Nick whispered. “He’s dead.”

“What?” Luciano was flabbergasted. “What happened?”

“We don’t know,” said Nick. “But he’s dead. He threw himself off Brighton Pier.”

“Do you think he did this because of Bradley?”

“I don’t know,” Nick replied, honestly.

“Yes,” Nick turned. Standing in the doorway were Tom and Sky. “He did it on purpose,” Sky continued. “I don’t see any other way.”

A chill ran down Luciano’s spine. “Does Aaron know?” he whispered.

“No,” said Tom. “We had no idea how to break it to him. None of us wanted to break it to him, Luciano.”

“Me and Georgia weren’t close to you when you died in Anglia,” said Sky. “It was still horrifying.”

“I still have no idea how I got through it,” Tom whispered.

“Don’t,” Luciano commanded. He could see Tom starting to lose control. He gripped Tom’s face, making him focus on him. “I’m here. Don’t do this to yourself. I’m not going anywhere.” He turned back to Sky and Nick, with a sigh. “You want me to break it to Aaron don’t you?”

“Would you mind?” Nick asked.

“No,” said Luciano. “The only people I’ve ever buried are people who deserved it.”

***

“Aaron?” Luciano, Sky, Nick and Tom had found Aaron sitting on Brighton Pier. “We need to talk.”

“About what?” asked Aaron.

“I’m sorry, Aaron,” said Luciano. “Riley’s dead. He couldn’t handle the death of Bradley.”

“You’re lying!” Aaron snapped. “I don’t believe you!”

“You have to eventually,” said Luciano. “It’s the truth.”

“There’s one way I’ll never have to deal with it,” said Aaron.

“No, Aaron,” said Luciano. “I can’t let you.”

“I have to,” Aaron whispered. “You’ve all been so good to me, and I can’t repay you.”

“We’re not asking for repayment,” said Tom. “We’re just asking you not to make any rash decisions right now. Do you know how many mistakes I made after Lucien died? Do you know how much I regret pretty much everything I did during that time?”

“We’re going to be here for you,” said Sky. “We’re not going to leave alone. We’re going to get you out here. Away from this mess, and all these people who remind you of Riley and Bradley.”

“You can’t,” whispered Aaron.

“You’re coming back to Islington with us,” said Sky. “Of course you can forget about this place.”

“All my good memories until a year ago are in this place,” said Aaron. “How can I let those go?”

“Let go of the terrible ones,” said Nick. “Riley and Bradley would want you to remember them in a positive way. Not by all the bad things they did in they’re lives, but by the things they did for you. That’s how they would want to be remembered.”

“I don’t know if I can do this,” said Aaron.

“We’re going to be here for you,” said Luciano. “We weren’t lying about that. We’re always going to be here for you. And if you ever need too, just come to Talia and get away from it all for a night. I know for a fact Arianna and Cesare would love it.”

“First you have to convinced Rodolfo you’re up for visitors,” said Sky drily.

“I’ll worry about Rodolfo when this is over,” Luciano muttered.

“No, go back,” said Aaron. “I’ll be fine here. I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to die. I don’t want to. You were right. It’s the not the way I should remember Riley and Bradley. I should remember them for what they gave me.

“You’ve got this, Aaron,” said Luciano. He brushed strands of blonde hair off Aaron’s face. “And remember, you’ve always got a home in Talia.”

***

As Luciano loped off in search of a bed to return to Talia, Tom, Sky and Nick surrounded Aaron.

“Do you want to go back?” asked Sky.

“Yeah,” Aaron replied.

“Do you want us to tell Blake, Zak and Connor or do you think you can manage?” Nick asked.

“Can you at least come?” asked Aaron.

“Of course,” said Nick.

***

Connor Lloyd was nothing short of surprised when Tom, Sky, Nick and Aaron came to his door at 07:45.

“We need to talk you,” said Aaron. “Can we come in?”

Connor stepped aside, allowing the four boys into the entryway.

“Are Blake and Zak here?” Sky asked.

“They’re still asleep in my bed,” Connor muttered. “I ended up downstairs on the living room couch.”

“Well that explains your fast response time,” said Tom.

“Where’s Lucien?” asked Connor, noticing Luciano’s absence.

“He had some things to take care of,” said Nick. “He might join us later if he gets back in time, otherwise it’s just going to be us.” Connor nodded.

“What’s going on?” Zak grumbled. It was obvious he and Blake were trying make their way down the stairs still half asleep.

“We have visitors,” said Connor.

“What? At this hour?” asked Blake.

“Who?” asked Zak, banging into a wall. Connor took pity on them, guiding them to chairs. At last, Zak, Blake and Connor were gathered.

“Can you please us why we’re here so I can go back to sleep?” asked Blake.

“Riley’s dead,” said Nick, bluntly.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

The affect of Nick’s words was immediate. If Zak, Connor and Blake had been somewhere between reality and dreamland before, they were now fully in reality and fully functioning.

“What?” Connor voiced what the three of them had been thinking. “He’s dead?”

“I’m sorry,” Nick’s voice softened. “We couldn’t do anything.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Blake. “I shouldn’t have been so hard on him.”

“I think we were all a little hard on him,” said Zak. “Especially after what had just happened with Bradley.” Zak shook his head. “I think we all went a little overboard.”

"You think?” asked Sky. First off, he couldn’t believe that Zak and Blake were actually taking responsibility for their actions. Second, he couldn’t believe the way they were saying it. It was almost like Blake and Zak knew Riley would commit suicide if they pushed him hard enough. Sky looked at Aaron, Nick and Tom.

“We know what you’re thinking,” Aaron whispered. “But we can’t.”

“Were you trying to push Riley to do this?” Sky’s words shocked Aaron. He didn’t think Sky would have the audacity to say it when Luciano wasn’t there telling him to do so.

“What would make you think that?” Connor asked.

“Were you trying to push Riley to do this?” Sky ignored Connor, repeating his question.

“No,” said Connor. He glanced at Zak and Blake. “Were you?”

“What would make you think that?” Blake asked.

“What wouldn’t make me think it?” asked Sky. “I could tell something was going on between you four from the moment we met. I thought it was going to end in disaster. I just hoped I was wrong.”

“You really think we did this?” asked Connor.

“None of us want to believe that you did,” said Nick. “But we’re trying to figure out why either of these two did it.”

“What if I told you I knew,” said Aaron.

“What?” asked Nick.

“I know the reason,” said Aaron.

“Why didn’t you tell us before?” asked Tom.

“I had reasons to be scared,” said Aaron. “I had no idea how you would react when I told you. I was scared of your reaction.”

“And rightly so,” said Tom. “But you can tell us anything. We’re not going to judge you. Least of all me. I know what it’s like to lose a friend you’ve been close to for years.”

“Yeah, but you’ve connected again,” Aaron replied.

“Until Luciano showed up in the music room of Barnsbury Comp a year ago I thought he was dead,” said Tom. “I lived with his death for three years. I would never wish that experience on anyone. It’s terrible.”

"Tell us what you know,” said Nick. “We’re not going to judge you.”

“We might,” said Blake.

“Then you can leave,” Nick replied, trying to keep his voice level. Blake and Zak exchanged a glance. Zak gulped, and they came to an unspoken agreement to stay quiet.

“Tell,” said Sky. His voice was calm. All hesitation that was in his mind wasn’t anywhere to be heard in the one word of direction he spoke.

"Riley sent me an email. He said that Bradley had been hanging out more with him, Zak, Blake and Connor than Eli, Warren and Colin. He thought that there were dark thoughts in Bradley’s mind. Riley didn’t think Bradley was thinking clearly. He didn’t know what to do.”

“Why didn’t he come to us?” asked Connor. “We might’ve been able to help him.”

Aaron shook his head. “From what Riley wrote in that email, Connor, I don’t think anyone could’ve helped Bradley or could’ve helped Riley deal with the situation. Just from reading the email, I got a sense that I had to come back.”

“That’s why you asked us to come with you on this trip isn’t it?” asked Sky. Behind the words was the unsaid part about Aaron begging Luciano to come, when he knew it was difficult for Luciano to come to their world. To Sky, Tom and Nick everything was beginning to make sense.

Aaron nodded. “That’s right. I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know what I would do when I got here. I just had to have you guys with me. At the time, that’s all I knew. I didn’t think I could deal with anything else. By the time Riley emailed me, everything was going out of control. He said he thought that the reason behind it was Bradley. Bradley had always been dark. Bradley had never really let it out of his house, but Riley knew. Apparently Bradley kept it from Eli, Colin and Warren, but it was something that had been building up. Bradley somehow knew he didn’t want to go naturally.” Aaron took a breath. “I think he planned it this way.”

***

Aaron’s words were weighing on everyone. Soon after Aaron stopped speaking, Connor, Blake and Zak left, retiring to bed. Worn out from what he had just said, Aaron collapsed on the couch. Tom, Nick and Sky dragged blankets from the linen closet to the living room floor, and made a nest before the fireplace. Sleep returned to the Lloyd house quickly that night. It was fortunate perhaps that Connor’s parents weren’t going to be back until late evening the next day. With everyone too worn out to move, everyone stayed in bed late.

The only person who didn’t sleep was Connor. Upstairs, back in his bed, he lay awake all night, thinking. Thoughts about the tragedy that had just occurred swirled through his mind. He knew that he was the one who had gotten on with Riley the best after Aaron’s parents had made the decision to move north to Islington. He knew Riley had never been as close to Zak or Blake. In his mind, he was having problems justifying Bradley and Riley’s deaths. Even after Aaron’s revelation, something still wasn’t making sense. He hadn’t known Lucien well, but somehow everything seemed much clearer with Lucien around. Why did Lucien have to go off on his own today of all days?

Grumbling, knowing he wouldn’t get any sleep, Connor got up and crept downstairs. As he walked into the kitchen, a crash sounded from the front door. Connor rushed down the hall, past the open doorway leading to the living room where he could see Aaron asleep on the couch and a pile of blankets on the floor, which he guessed was Nick, Tom and Sky. Connor arrived in the entryway. Someone was replacing the stand from its fallen position. As the figure turned around, Connor realized who it was: Lucien Mulholland.

“What are you doing here?” asked Connor.

“I thought I could sneak in,” Luciano replied. “I didn’t realize my entrance would be so noisy.”

“Lucien! We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.” The crash had obviously woken up Nick, Sky, Aaron and Tom.

“I decided to come back early,” said Luciano.

“Are we ever glad to see you,” said Sky, leaning against the door frame.

“Did you tell?” asked Luciano, jumping right to the point.

“He told,” said Connor. “I think we were all surprised.”

“I told them my story too,” said Aaron. “I told them what Riley’s email had said.”

Luciano nodded. “You knew!” Connor blazed. “How could you know and not tell us?”

“I just met you!” Luciano blazed back. “I knew Aaron would tell you when the rest of it started coming out!”

“You keeping stuff from us!” Connor continued to yell as if Luciano hadn’t even spoken.

“Connor!” Aaron snapped. Aaron’s voice brought Connor out of his fury. “You barely know Lucien. How long have you known me? We were never going to keep it from you entirely. We were always going to tell you about that email before we left. It just happened a little sooner than we expected.”

“What’s going on?” It was Blake. He and Zak were standing at the top of the stairs.

“Connor’s a blazing riot,” Luciano muttered.

“What you doing here?” Zak hissed, seeing Luciano.

“Helping,” said Luciano, coolly.

“Get out,” Zak hissed.

“It’s not your house,” said Aaron. “We’ll be leaving on our own or whenever Connor kicks us out. You have no authority.”

“I’m going back to sleep,” said Zak. He turned to Blake. “Coming?”

“I think I’ll wait and see what’s going on,” said Blake. “I was the one who betrayed them after all.” Zak only sighed, and headed back up the stairs. “So ready to tell me what all this is about?” Blake settled on the bottom step.

“You were surprised when you heard?” asked Luciano.

“Of course I was,” said Blake. “It’s not like any of us except Riley and Aaron knew about the email.”

“So he didn’t even tell you?” asked Nick, looking for confirmation.

“No,” said Connor, breaking in. “Absolutely not.”

***

Connor, Luciano, Sky, Nick, Tom and Aaron ended up staying awake for the rest of the night. Aaron and Nick made hot chocolate and coffee for everyone and Connor unearthed a coffee cake and two batches of brownies from somewhere. They sat around the island in Connor’s kitchen. Well, Aaron, Nick, Sky and Tom sat around the island and Connor and Luciano chose to sit on the island rather than trying to unearth two other stools at three in the morning.

“What else do you want to know?” asked Luciano, taking a sip of coffee.

“Just confirm one thing for me,” said Connor. “Did you know about the email?”

“Yes,” said Luciano. “Well, Nick and Sky were there when Aaron received it and eventually word got out to me and Tom.”

“So you chose not to tell us?” said Connor. “Why?” He looked at Aaron.

Aaron sighed. “It wasn’t that easy, Connor. It wasn’t an easy decision for me.”

“There were a lot of discussions on the subject,” said Sky. “Finally we told him that we couldn’t make a judgment being that at the time we hadn’t met any of you yet.”

“And now?” asked Connor. “Do you still think it was a good idea?”

Aaron sighed. “It probably wasn’t right to keep the truth from you, Blake and Zak for so long, but Riley asked me to.”

“No more secrets?”

“No more secrets.” Connor and Aaron flashed through their handshake. They starred at each other.

“What’s going on?” Sky asked.

“Riley made that up when we were twelve,” said Aaron.

“It sounds like he was a good friend,” said Nick.

“He was,” said Connor. He looked around. “You know, I’m really glad you guys came here. We should actually do something tomorrow. We spent most of the time you were here being mad at you.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” Zak and Blake were standing in the doorway.

“Don’t sweat it,” said Tom. “We forgive you.”

“Connor’s right,” said Zak, straddling a dining room chair, as he faced the others, sitting around and on the island. “We should do something together tomorrow. It was stupid to spend all that time being angry with you.”

“Should we invite Colin, Eli and Warren?” Blake asked.

“No,” said Luciano. “I think this should be a day where we honor Riley. We’ve had time to honor Bradley, but no real time to honor Riley. I think we should go back to the pier. Maybe take a boat out into the middle, and try to jump off the boat and dive to the bottom.”

“So we’re…” Blake started

“Yes!” screamed everyone else, interrupting Blake before he could say whether they were going to invite Eli, Warren and Colin when they went out in the boat.

“When should we do this?” asked Nick.

“Early in the morning,” said Aaron. “That was his favorite time of day.”


	16. Chapter Fifteen

The sun had just started rising, when Luciano, Nick, Sky, Aaron, Connor, Zak, Tom and Blake crept out of the Lloyd house and to Connor’s beat-up truck. Connor and Blake slid into the cab, leaving Luciano, Nick, Sky, Aaron, Zak and Tom to try and make themselves comfy in the back. Even though they were outside, they weren’t complaining. They got to lie back and watch the sunrise, while Connor and Blake would most likely only get the last seconds. The moment when the sun would wash the sand, Brighton Pier and the water below with a light layer of gold.

Connor swung his truck into the practically empty parking lot near Brighton Pier. The instant he pulled in, the group in the truck started jumping out. The group headed to the end of the pier. As they walked out to the end of pier, ignoring the few people scattered up and down the beach on their early morning walk, they kept their gaze glued to the sunset.

“Riley always enjoyed this,” said Blake. “We used to do this way more often.”

“Maybe we should bring it back,” said Aaron, leaning on the railing.

“What would Riley think about all our arguments?” asked Zak.

“He’d probably tell us off,” came Aaron’s soft reply.

“Can we possibly enjoy a few moments without you making a fuss?” asked Tom. Blake, Zak and Aaron looked at each other.

“You’re right,” said Aaron. “I don’t think Riley would want his best friends to get into an argument. I think he’d prefer it if we all tried to get along.”

“Aaron’s right,” said Nick. “We should at least make an effort to make Riley happy. It was obvious he was miserable before he died. We should try to remember him the way he would’ve wanted us to remember him. He wouldn’t want us to remember him as the Riley who was mourning Bradley. He’d want us to remember him as the Riley who was happy. The one who I never met, but I know that the Riley I met wasn’t the same one you four knew when you were growing up.”

“Nick does have a point,” said Tom. “I tried to forget about the Lucien I met before he died. I tried to remember him as the one who I’d been friends with for years.” Tom glanced at Luciano.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Luciano. “I knew it wasn’t easy for you to see me like that.”

“It was easier than seeing you when you were in that coma,” said Tom.

“What do you remember about Riley?” asked Connor, changing the subject abruptly.

“I remember what he said when I told you guys I was going to move to Islington,” said Aaron. “He said: ‘You better come back and visit us, Aaron, because if you don’t, I’m going to set our dogs on you.’”

“How was he going to get dogs from Brighton to Islington?” asked Sky.

“I was supposed to drive them,” Connor muttered.

“In the truck? With the dogs in the truck bed?” asked Sky.

“Pretty much,” Connor replied.

“I don’t even want to know how that turned out,” said Sky.

“Not good,” said Zak. “The dogs kept trying to jump out while the car was moving.”

“How far did we get again?” asked Blake.

“About ten minutes away,” said Connor. “No more.”

“Well, that sounds like it was a disaster,” said Nick.

“Probably one of the worst disasters Riley managed to get us into,” said Aaron.

“You weren’t there,” said Tom, pointedly.

“I heard the highly detailed version over Skype that night,” Aaron replied. “Trust me. It was not going to work.”

“Yeah, that definitely wasn’t one of Riley’s smarter ideas,” said Zak.      

“So you really tried that?” asked Nick, looking for confirmation about the reality of one of the craziest things he had ever heard.

“Yep,” said Connor. “And it did not go well.”

“Remind me to never drive around with dogs in a truck bed,” Luciano whispered to Tom. Tom barely held in a snort. Knowing full well that the only way Luciano would ever be driving one would be if he were to return to where he was right now and find a way to drive around legally.

“I will,” was Tom’s whispered reply.

“I know you’re trying suppress a snort,” said Luciano. “Good job.”

"Thanks.”

“Remember when Riley tried to jump out of his window onto the porch?” asked Connor.

“Didn’t that work only slightly better than the dog incident?” Zak asked.

“Yeah, it did,” said Connor.

“It sounds like most of Riley’s ideas didn’t work out,” said Nick.

“Not true,” said Connor. “He was the one who started this whole jumping of the pier thing in the first place.”

“Wait, what?” asked Sky. “Riley was the one who started it?”

***

_Riley ran ahead down the concrete pier. Nearby he could the big, grand wood structure that was Brighton Pier proper. At the end of the large one were all the rides. That was the one Riley ignored. He ran down the simple concrete strip that jutted from the sidewalk out into the ocean._

_“Riley!” Connor yelled._

_“Come out here, the ocean sprays you!” Riley called back._

_“It’s hot enough for it,” said Blake._

_As Connor, Blake and Zak ran down the concrete pier, Riley hoisted himself onto the concrete wall. Connor, Zak and Blake stopped before him._

_“Riley, what are you doing?” asked Zak._

_“I’m going to jump off,” Riley replied._

_“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked Connor._

_“It’ll be fine, you guys are right here,” said Riley. “You can get help.”_

_“Why can’t you ever pull off one of your schemes by yourself?” asked Zak._

_“That kinda defeats the purpose of having friends in the first place,” said Riley, turning his back on them._

_“Just be careful,” said Zak._

_Riley shrugged. “We’ll just have to see what happens.” Blake sighed, before exchanging glances with Connor and Zak. They should’ve known this was coming._

_Riley looked back over his shoulder. Connor, Zak and Blake were standing on the pier, watching him. He took a deep breath, and let go. He flew through the air, falling down into the ocean. A splash sounded, spraying spray up into Connor’s face, as he hung over the pier trying to catch a glimpse of Riley. A reassurance that he really was okay._

_Riley stormed up to the surface, swinging his brown hair out of his eyes._

_“Riley?” Connor asked. “You okay?”_

_"That was awesome,” said Riley, hoisting himself out of the water, and onto the rocks. “You should try it.”_

_“No way,” said Connor. “There is no way I’m trying that.”_

_Riley climbed back up the rocks and swung himself onto the pier again. “Come on, Connor. Don’t be such a downer. It’ll be fun. I’ll even jump with you.”_

_“I really don’t think it’s a good idea,” said Connor, still fearful._

_“I’ll do it,” said Zak. “I’ll help you prove to Connor that there’s nothing to fear. It’ll be fun.”_

_Zak followed Riley up onto the ledge of the concrete._

_“One…two…three…go!” Riley called. Together, Riley and Zak jumped. Two enormous splashes got Connor and Blake, soaking them._

_“We might as well join them,” said Blake. “We’re so soaked we might as well.”_

_“I…” Connor started._

_“Stop being a scaredy cat, Connor,” said Blake. Blake hoisted himself up onto the ledge. He turned, looking back at Connor, who was looking at him warily. “I’ll even wait for you.”_

_“Okay, fine,” said Connor._

_“That’s the ticket,” said Blake, grabbing Connor’s hand. Connor clambered up onto the ledge. “Ready?” Blake asked, the instant Connor was in place._

_“Just count,” said Connor, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible._

_“One…” Blake started. “Two…three…look out!” Zak and Riley swam out of the way at Blake’s call._

_“The water’s wonderful,” Riley called up._

_“Go!” came Blake’s yell from the pier. Blake jumped silently. Connor screamed all the way down, only closing his mouth right before he went under._

_Connor came up spluttering next to the rock where Riley was sitting._

_“Feels good, uh?” asked Riley._

_“Now are you glad you did it?” Blake asked._

_Connor smiled. “Of course I am.” He pushed himself up onto the rock beside Riley. “And by the way, I was never really scared. I just wanted to see your reaction.”_

_“Thanks.” Riley rolled his eyes._

_“Come on,” Connor stood, extending his hand to Riley. “Let’s go again.”_

_“See, it’s addicting,” said Riley, grabbing the offered hand and letting Connor pull him up._

_“Okay, okay, you’re right,” said Connor. He turned to Zak and Blake, who were still relaxing in the water. “Jump with us?”_

_“Sure,” said Zak. Riley grabbed Blake and Connor grabbed Zak. Once Zak and Blake were on the rocks next to them, Riley and Connor raced for the hill._

_“Hey!” Blake screamed, trying to run after them. “Not fair!”_

_“Deal with it,” Riley threw over his shoulder._

***

“And then it spread,” said Zak. “It spread through the entire town. Soon everyone in our school was doing it and it spread to the older kids through Bradley.”

“Though we never confirmed that,” said Blake.

“Well, how else could they have found out about it?” asked Zak.

“Plenty of ways,” said Connor. “They could’ve seen us doing it for one. They could’ve seen us doing it, and thought it looked cool, it could’ve been Bradley, they could’ve heard us talking about it, or a million other things. There are more ways than one for something like this to spread.”

“Like that makes a difference,” Luciano broke in. “Look guys, all we needed was what happened on the day Riley started this whole thing. That’s it.”

“And that’s what we gave you,” said Blake.

“What we didn’t want,” Luciano continued, as if Blake hadn’t even interrupted him. “Was the argument that almost happened when Connor and Zak finished the story.”

“I guess we still don’t know how to react to this situation,” said Zak.

“It’s going to take a while to get used to,” said Luciano. “And it’s probably never going to completely go away.”

***

As the group stood on the concrete pier, gazing into the spot where they had so carefully avoided because of rocks. It was because of the rocks, that this was where first Bradley, then Riley had chosen to end their lives. The why was still a little blurry, but as Luciano said, that was probably for the best. It was probably a good thing that the last moments of Riley’s life where blurry. It was probably just as gruesome as when Luciano had murdered Fabrizio for the good of Talia the year before. No one would’ve wanted to remember Riley like that. Blood and flesh smeared against the rocks. His body floating lazily in the currents below the surface, never to be seen again.

They didn’t look at each other. Each somehow knew what the others were thinking. They didn’t see a need to talk. To the few people around this early morning, the group of boys at the far end of the pier, simply looking down into the water was a strange sight. Some of the people recognized the group as the group who used to jump off the concrete pier. To these people, they wondered what had happened that made them simply want to sit there, and not do anything. But most of the people had no idea who the group was and they ignored them.

Nick gazed into the water. Except for the waves washing up the rocks below, everything was strangely silent. The silence was becoming deafening. The stray thought of jumping into the water, crossed Nick’s mind. But with everyone’s train of thought on Riley and Bradley, he didn’t want anyone to make the assumption that he was trying to commit suicide as well.

“What are you thinking about?” Sky’s quiet whisper came from Nick’s left.

“Jumping in,” came Nick’s soft reply.

“It seems weird to not be doing anything doesn’t it?” asked Aaron.

“Yeah,” Connor replied.

“Do you think we should do something to celebrate Riley?” asked Aaron.

“I think Riley would want us to remember him, rather than to celebrate his life every five minutes,” said Zak.

“Zak does have a point,” said Luciano. “I didn’t know him as well you knew him and I’m going to respect that and try not to over step my boundaries, but I think Zak’s right. I think we need to remember him. I think we should hold a Remembrance Meeting.”

“A what?” asked Blake.

“A Remembrance Meeting,” said Tom, catching on. “It’s what we did for our friend who died in Islington three years ago.” A momentary glance passed between Tom and Luciano. “We went to one of his favorite places, and just told our favorite memories of him.”

“So kind of like what we came out here to do for Riley in the first place before we got sidetracked?” Zak asked.

“Exactly,” said Luciano. “I think we should have a redo.”

“Wait,” said Connor. “I think we should just do it now.”

“What did happen after Riley got you all to jump off the pier?” Sky asked.

“We started doing it everyday when it was warm enough,” said Aaron. “There wasn’t a day in summer we didn’t come down to do it. Sometimes there were other people there, but most of the time we ignored them. It became apparent to everyone that we were the ones who started the whole thing. We were given first dibs on the best sections of pier to jump off of. It was what we were doing when I told them that I was moving to Islington.”

***

_“I have something terrible to tell you guys,” said Aaron._

_“What? You failed French again?” asked Blake._

_“No. This term I’m actually passing that class,” said Aaron. “And it’s not that simple, Blake.”_

_“Then what’s going on?” asked Zak._

_“I…” Aaron started._

_“Why aren’t you jumping? I’ve been waiting for you at the bottom,” said Connor. They’d planned to lounge on the rocks after they had each jumped down there._

_“Aaron’s about to tell us something,” said Zak. “It sounds serious.”_

_“It is,” replied Aaron._

_“Come on,” said Riley. “How serious can it be?”_

_“I’m moving.” Aaron’s words caused a wave of silence to wash over the group._

_“What?” When?” asked Riley._

_“End of term,” was Aaron’s reply._

_“At least you’re not moving until July. We have two more months together,” said Blake._

_“Don’t you see,” said Connor. “It’s never going to be the same.”_

_“Where?” was all Zak could say._

_“Islington,” said Aaron._

_“That’s not too far away,” said Connor. “You can still come down during breaks.”_

_“Yeah, but it’s not going to be the same,” said Aaron. “I’m not going to be able to see you everyday.”_

_“We’ll just have to come visit you in Islington,” said Riley._

_“This isn’t the end of everything,” added Connor. “We’ll still see each other, and there’s no way we’re all branching off into other things.”_

_“I just want you to know that this wasn’t my choice,” said Aaron. “It has something to do with my dad’s job.”_

_“Doesn’t it always,” commented Zak._

_“I’ll send you an email when we all get settled, then you can visit,” said Aaron, acting like Zak hadn’t even commented._

***

“By the way, we still haven’t done that,” said Connor.

“You may want to get on that,” commented Nick.

“Remember when we decided to try and build a raft?” asked Blake.

“Didn’t we get it out about ten feet out into the water and then it sank?” asked Zak.

“It also broke apart,” added Aaron.

“Is it just me or have most of your plans failed?” asked Sky.

“It’s not just you,” Connor promised. “Most of our plans do tend to fail.”

“And they mostly seemed to be the ones Riley came up with,” said Blake.

“They started out as good ideas, but the realities never measured up,” said Zak.

“Remind me to never build a raft with you guys,” said Tom.

“You’ll never have to,” muttered Luciano. “In case you haven’t noticed, it isn’t exactly easy to access a body of water big enough for a raft in Islington.”

“Good point,” Tom muttered back.

“Remind me to never pull through with an idea with you guys ever,” said Sky.

“Hey,” said Blake. “We’re not that bad.”

“I think I have agreement with Lucien on this one,” said Zak. “Our ideas do usually fail.”

“Maybe they won’t fail so much now that we don’t have Riley,” said Blake, throwing out the suggestion carelessly.

“You really are careless aren’t you?” asked Aaron. “You don’t think about anything before it comes out of your mouth, do you?”

“Now that you mention it,” said Blake. “I don’t.”

Aaron sighed. “And you wonder why I was glad to make new friends,” he muttered to Luciano.

“I honestly don’t blame you for being excited about getting away from these people,” said Luciano. “But I can also see that you missed them. Would you ever think about staying here?”

“And leaving Sky, Nick and Georgia behind? No thanks,” Aaron responded.

“Thanks for that,” said Sky.

“Hey, I spent the first fifteen years of my life with these people,” said Aaron. “It’s been nice getting to know other people.”

“Hey, what’s this?” asked Zak.

“All of you!” Luciano snapped. “Stop making this about Aaron moving to Islington, and start focusing on what really matters.” He paused. “Look, I could’ve stayed home. I could’ve been doing stuff that’s important. I chose to come with Aaron, Nick and Sky. We’re meant to be here to be honoring Riley.”

“Lucien’s right,” said Connor. “We are here to be honoring Riley, not to be trying to work out a bunch of petty problems among us. Riley died, but he will remembered. He’ll be remembered because in us he had some great friends.”


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Luciano woke with a start. He was lying on a couch in Connor’s living room. On the couch across from him was Sky. The chairs were occupied by Nick, Connor and Aaron. Aaron was splayed in a position Luciano could see would become uncomfortable the moment Aaron woke. Blake, Tom and Zak were splayed across the floor. Zak was half under the couch Luciano had fallen asleep on. Luciano knew that after all this he would have some serious explaining to do to Rodolfo, Cesare and Arianna, but he also knew that they didn’t want him to just corner himself off away from his friends in Islington. They understood that he couldn’t just abandon them. They knew they still meant something to him, and he didn’t want to leave them behind if he didn’t have to. If it didn’t affect his job in Bellezza, Luciano couldn’t see how Arianna or Rodolfo would complain.

“Lucien?” Luciano turned. Tom was trying to untangle himself from Blake and the blankets. Luciano slid out his own, mostly avoiding stepping on Zak, and made his way to Tom.

“What is it?”

“I want to talk you.” Tom took a breath. “Before the others wake up.”

Luciano nodded. “Follow me.” Luciano led Tom out onto Connor’s porch. Once there, Luciano let the screen door shut. He faced Tom, arms crossed. “What is it?”

“I wanted to apologize.”

Luciano had guessed this was going to come out of Tom’s mouth the moment Tom asked for a private word. He moved from his spot leaning against the house. He placed one hand on one of Tom’s shoulders, using the other to force Tom to meet his eyes. “I want you to stop blaming yourself. What happened to me wasn’t your fault. None of it was. We were fifteen. It was beyond our control, and it still is beyond our control.” Luciano paused. “I want you to stop blaming yourself for that. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

“But…”

“No.” Luciano cut across Tom. “I can’t have you doing this. I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I let you keep doing this to yourself. If you keep doing this, I’m never coming back solely to visit you.”

“Would you really do that?”

“Yes,” said Luciano. “Because even after all this time I still care about you in same way. If you keep doing this to yourself, it’s going to cripple you.”

“All right, I get it.”

Luciano looked into Tom’s face. “Say to directly to my face.”

“I’ll stop,” Tom forced out.

“Lucien! Tom!” Connor called from inside. “Where are you?”

“Porch!” Luciano called back.

“Waffles?” asked Connor.

“Sure.”

“Would you really do that to me, or was it just a threat?”

Luciano looked back at Tom. “I’d really do it, because I’ve seen what it can do to people, and I don’t ever want to see that look in your eyes.”

Tom nodded. “You’re right. The whole thing was stupid.”

“It wasn’t stupid.” Luciano threw an arm around Tom’s shoulder. “Let’s go inside. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

Tom laughed. He knew that he and Luciano would have a different sort of friendship now. One that was based on when Luciano could get away from his protective father-in-law not one that was based on them sneaking out, but it would be nice to be able to see Lucien again, even if he was known by something else now.

***

When Luciano and Tom returned, Connor was making waffles with Nick and Sky leaning against the counter talking to him, Blake was routing around in the fridge for milk that hadn’t expired and Zak and Aaron were attempting to make coffee and failing miserably. Zak had more coffee in his hair than in the pot and Aaron’s hair was soaked, presumably from the water that was supposed to be in the coffee maker.

“Hey,” said Nick.

“Hey,” said Luciano, leaning against the counter next to Nick.

“What’s with them?” asked Tom, gesturing with his head at Zak and Aaron.

“They’re trying make coffee,” Blake replied, sticking his head out of the fridge. He turned to Connor. “There isn’t any milk in here that’s newer than two weeks old.”

“Gross,” said Sky. “There’s no way I’m putting that in my coffee.”

“Go get some,” said Connor. “You know where the store is.”

“Be back in a bit,” said Blake. He grabbed his sweatshirt and slammed out the kitchen door.

“There was literally no need for that,” said Aaron.

“That’s Blake,” said Zak. “He tends to do that now.”

“Wish he’d stop,” said Connor, dumping a waffle onto the stack next him.

“I doubt he will,” said Luciano.

“You barely know him,” Aaron pointed out.

“He just seems like the kind of person who would find the thing they do and keep doing it,” Luciano replied.

“Wish he’d find something less noisy,” said Aaron.

Connor shrugged, ladling more batter into the waffle iron. “He’s been doing it pretty much since you left, Aaron. I doubt he’s going to stop now.”

“What if we told him to stop?” asked Sky.

Aaron glared at his friend. “That won’t help either. Blake tends to not listen to others very often. It’s one of his major flaws. And I don’t see him getting over it anytime soon.”

“Just trust us,” said Zak, letting Aaron take over the coffee making since he obviously knew what he was doing and Zak had realized that he was the one slowing down the process. He leaned against the counter, looking at Luciano, Sky and Nick.

“Anyone want to eat?” asked Connor.

“Heck yeah,” said Sky. He looked through the open layout of the kitchen/dining room. “There’s no syrup.”

“I’ll deal with it,” said Nick. Nick routed around in the fridge, as Connor grabbed the plate of waffles and followed Zak who was carrying the coffee pot.

By the time, Nick joined the group with the syrup, Connor, Luciano, Sky, Zak, Aaron and Tom were sitting around the table and Connor was throwing a waffle at each person. Blake slid into his seat right when Connor tossed a waffle in his direction.

“Thanks,” said Blake.

“How does he do that?” Tom muttered to Sky.

Sky shrugged. “No idea.”

“If it was Bellezza, I’d blame magic,” Nick muttered across the table. Sky, Nick, Tom, Luciano and Aaron exchanged glances, but Blake, Zak and Connor were too distracted to notice.

“Keep Talia out of this conversation,” Luciano hissed. “We’re lucky I haven’t been discovered. If I am, Rodolfo’s going to kill me.”

With another glance, Aaron, Nick, Tom and Sky silently agreed.

“We got it,” said Aaron softly.

Luciano nodded. “Good.”

“What’s good?” asked Blake.

“Our plans,” said Sky, catching on.

“Are you going back to the dock?” asked Blake.

“Maybe,” said Luciano, smiling mysteriously, as he passed the syrup to Connor.

“You Londoners,” Blake muttered.

“Gosh you’ve grown negative,” said Aaron. “I don’t remember you being this rude before I left.”

“You’re the one who’s changed, Aaron,” said Blake. “I hardly recognized you.”

“You always were a shrew, Blake,” said Connor. He leaned toward Tom, Sky and Luciano. “He was never this bad before Aaron moved to Islington.”

“So you think it’s my fault?” asked Aaron, stabbing a bite of waffle.

“Of course I do,” said Blake. “I think everything’s your fault.”

Aaron sighed, laying his fork down. “How can everything be my fault? I haven’t been here for a year.”

***

“I think we’re breaking apart,” said Aaron.

“I don’t think any of us should be making judgments on your relationships with your friends,” said Luciano.

“Former friend in Blake’s case,” Aaron muttered, darkly.

“I think you’re right,” said Nick. “He’s not worth your time, Aaron. He’s not accepting us.”

Aaron, Luciano, Sky, Tom and Nick were taking over Connor’s living room, while Connor and Zak had dragged Blake up to Connor’s room to give him some very stern orders.

“Leave! Get out of here! You’re not my friend anymore, Blake!”

Looking at each other, Luciano, Tom, Sky, Nick and Aaron rushed into the entryway. Blake was storming down the stairs, with Connor yelling him.

“Out!” Zak snapped.

“I don’t have to leave,” said Blake, turning towards the staircase where Connor and Zak were still standing.

“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome long enough,” said Luciano.

“Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?” asked Blake. His eyes were blazing with anger, and he looked like he might slap someone out of pure anger.

“You have no idea who I am,” Luciano replied. “And if I told you, I’d have to kill you. I have gone through more than you could ever imagine.”

Blake snorted. “Likely story.” He paused. “I haven’t liked you since the beginning, Lucien.”

“You haven’t made that a secret,” said Luciano, harshly. “I could see right through you from the start. You never fooled me. I could tell that you didn’t really want to be here.” Luciano grabbed Blake’s wrist and began dragging him out the door.

“Careful,” said Connor, warningly.

Luciano gave a brisk nod and let the screen door slam behind him and Blake. Through the screen door and the windows, Luciano could see Sky, Nick, Tom, Aaron, Zak and Connor.

Luciano threw Blake onto the porch. Blake looked up at Luciano with something akin to fear in his eyes.

“You’re right to fear me, Blake. Now tell me, why are you really hanging out with us?” Blake whimpered. “I can force it out of you.” Luciano crouched in front of Blake, forcing Blake to look him in the eyes. “I’ve been taught 16th century Italian torture methods by only the best. I can force the truth from you, Blake.”

“I can’t tell you. He said he’d kill me if I told.”

Luciano snorted. “It can’t be that bad. I’ve heard worse threats.”

“I can’t,” Blake whimpered.

“Tell,” Luciano hissed. Blake backed up against the railing of the Lloyd’s porch. Luciano cornered him. “You really didn’t want to do that.”

“I don’t have anything to tell you. You have to believe me.”

Luciano stood. “Sorry, I don’t. I never have. I’ve known since I met you that you’ve had something to hide. Something that not even Riley knew about. Something that could’ve caused his death. Something that might have even caused Bradley’s death. Something that you’ll die for if you tell anyone. You will tell me, Blake. I won’t leave here until you tell me the truth about what’s going on in this town. There was a reason why Aaron invited us here. There’s a reason why Riley suggested it, and there’s a reason why Aaron, Sky and Nick spent a long time trying to talk me into coming. This trip wasn’t just for leisure as we thought, was it?”

Blake shook his head. “No. It wasn’t. It wasn’t supposed to be just a leisure trip.”

“Then tell me what it was meant for.”

“Are you going to kill me?”

“You really don’t trust me, do you?”

“I was taught never to trust you. You’re the one who everyone thought was dead.”

“How do these things travel? I have never been to Brighton in my life.”

“You’re lying. You were here eight years ago.”

“I never saw you then.”

“But I remember you.”

“How can you?”

“I just do.”

“You’re lying again, Blake. I can tell that you don’t like me, and the feeling is mutual. But your lies are out of control. You have been lying for too long, Blake. It’s time you went back inside and told everyone the truth.”

“I can’t.”

“You can and you will. I’m not going to let it go any other way.”

“And if I make it go my way?”

“Then I’ll just shove it back in your face.” Luciano paused, letting his words wash over Blake. “I’m quite good at it actually, as you’ll see if you try to force it over your way.”

“You have no idea what you’re doing. You have no idea what’s going to happen once you have me as an enemy.”

“I think I have pretty good idea of what’s going to happen, Blake. I’ve fought your kind before.”

Blake raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Luciano replied. “You don’t want to do this against me, Blake.”

“How do you know?”

“I just have a feeling you’re not going to be fond of the results.”

“How do you know the results won’t be in my favor?”

“Because I know too much about you. I know how to beat you.”

Blake laughed. “You seriously think you are going to be able to beat me, Lucien? You don’t…”

Luciano sprang onto Blake’s back, cutting Blake’s words off with a hand over Blake’s mouth. “You don’t want to threaten me, Blake Powell. If you do, it may possibly be the last thing you ever do.”

Blake let out a snort, throwing Luciano off his back. Luciano let his body fly through the air, settling into a crouch on the opposite end of the porch. “You really don’t want to do this.”

“Do you have any idea who I brought with me?” Out of blue, Sky and Nick were standing behind Luciano. “These are the two best fencers at Barnsbury Comp.”

“Well, I have him,” said Blake.

“Meadows, Duke,” said a cold voice. It was Chad Evans. Behind him were Aiden MacIntyre and James Merton.

“Evans, Merton, MacIntyre,” Sky hissed in reply.

“You’re working with them?” It was Connor, and the look on his face was dark.

“You didn’t think I was still friends with you did you?” asked Blake. “Not after you threw me out.”

“You’ve been working with him the entire time?” asked Tom.

“Didn’t you best friend die?” asked James, coldly.

“Don’t,” said Luciano.

“Lucien Mulholland, right?” asked James, ignoring Luciano. “Wasn’t he in a car accident?”

“No!” snapped Tom. “It was cancer, you gutless little twerp.”

“You struck a nerve, James,” Aiden whispered. “Good one.” James gave one of the malicious smiles he was known for and Sky groaned internally.

“I don’t think you know what you’re getting into,” said Luciano. “You have no idea who you just started messing with. I don’t know how you got the idea that you could go around living your life like you three were the only three people on the planet, but that isn’t going to go down so well for you in the future.”

“How do you know?” Aiden spat.

“I know more than you,” Luciano spat in return.

“But how much more is the question,” Aiden replied, leaning against a post.

Luciano fought back the urge to just push Aiden over the edge into the garden. “You should just be warned,” said Luciano. “I’m not so sure you want to get involved in this.” He flicked his gaze over to Chad and James. “Any of you.”

Chad snorted. “I’m not scared of you. Why would I be scared of you?”

“You should be,” said Sky, darkly. “You should be very afraid of him. You have no idea what he can do.”

“Nothing it looks like,” said Chad.

“Nice,” James whispered.

“Maybe so,” said Sky.

“But we’re not going to let you get away with this,” said Nick. “There’s just no way that is ever going to happen.”

“Isn’t it our mission to let you go,” said Aiden.

“I think we know that,” said Luciano.

“Do you really?” asked Aiden.

“Do you doubt me?” asked Luciano.

“Are you sure you…” But Aiden never even finished his sentence. Luciano had lashed out. Letting his hand strike Aiden. It wasn’t hard, but it startled Aiden, and Aiden fell backward into the garden. Sky and Nick had to bite back laughter.

“Do you want to continue this?” asked Sky. “I think we’ve proved ourselves.”

“And I know that it could go further,” added Nick. “But I’d rather not destroy a porch with fencing foils.”

“It’s your choice,” said Connor. “Either get in a fencing match or leave.”

“I…” Chad started.

“You’re leaving,” said Luciano. His tone left no room for argument had James and Chad fled the porch.

“Aiden! Come on!” Chad yelled as he, Blake and James ran down the sidewalk. Aiden untangled himself from the bushes and ran after them, leaving Luciano, Aaron, Connor, Nick, Tom, Sky and Zak standing on the porch looking after them, triumphant grins on their faces.

For the moment it felt like they had won. Like they had won something back even after the horrible aftermath of Riley’s death. It felt like they had won something back for their friend who should still be there with them. It felt good that they had done it. It felt like they had all done the right thing for once. For once there was no one they could blame anything on. It felt like they really could be standing there for much longer than they were. For that moment, it felt right to be standing there, remembering.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

_“Riley!” Aaron screamed. “Don’t do this!”_

_"I have to prove myself,” Riley replied._

_“You have nothing to prove to us, Riley,” said Connor. “We understand you.”_

_“But I have everything to prove to myself, to Bradley, to my family,” Riley replied. “I want to do this. I feel like I have to. It wouldn’t seem right otherwise. I don’t think I can let Bradley go until I do this.”_

_"I don’t think you should go through with it,” said Luciano. “You know what happened when Bradley died.”_

_“I don’t care!” Riley snapped. “You have no right to stop me, Lucien! We barely know each other!”_

_“I know,” Luciano replied. “But I also know that whatever is killing you inside, it’s going to be worse for your friends and family if you go through with this.”_

_Riley eyed Luciano like he was crazy. He didn’t want to admit that Luciano was right. He just didn’t want to accept that someone he’d just met had a better handle on what he was feeling than himself. He didn’t think he would survive what he was planning, but that was part of the thrill. “I’m sorry.” Then Riley jumped._

_“Riley!” Aaron screamed again._

***

Aaron’s scream was what jerked Luciano away from the book he was currently reading. Laying the book aside, Luciano crouched beside Aaron.

“Aaron,” Luciano whispered, shaking the boy awake. “Aaron! Wake up! It’s right it’s only a dream.”

Aaron jerked awake, panting. Luciano rubbed his back, soothingly. “I…I…”

“Don’t worry about anything,” Luciano replied. “I’m here, go back to sleep.”

“I don’t think I can,” Aaron replied. “Can I stay up with you and talk?”

“Sure,” said Luciano. “It’s not like I’ve been doing anything besides reading since you guys fell asleep anyway.”

“What about Rodolfo and Arianna?”

“I’ve been away for so long, that it probably doesn’t even matter anymore. No matter what happens now they’re going to be very angry. Staying a little longer isn’t going to make whatever they decide to do to me worse.”

“So you’re really not worried about any of that?”

“Nope.” Luciano paused. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Just get my mind off the dream.” Aaron shuddered. “It was horrible.”

“What happened?”

“Riley’s death,” Aaron whispered.

Luciano pulled Aaron into a hug. “You still aren’t over his death are you?” Aaron shook his head and Luciano sighed. “I know it’s hard and I know that right now it sucks majorly, but you have to remember that everyone in this room is worried about you. We’re all going to be here for you, Aaron, no matter what happens.”

“What about Connor, Zak and Blake?”

Luciano glared at the spot where Zak, Connor and Blake were lying among a tangle of blankets and pillows. “I think Connor’s okay. I wouldn’t trust Zak or Blake too much though. They’ve been the main people who have being trying to make us believe that they’ve changed.”

“Do you think they’ve changed?” It was Sky.

“No,” said Aaron. “They’ve always been like this.”

Sky sat down on Aaron’s other side. “Then I think it’s time you came back to Islington and invited Connor to visit Islington.”

“So you think it was a bad idea to come?” asked Aaron.

“No,” said Sky. “I think in times like these, you learn who your best friends are and who are the ones that you can ditch.”

“I think I want to go back to Islington,” said Aaron.

“I think we’ll enjoy it too,” said Sky.

“Well it wasn’t exactly the vacation we planned on, but it was pretty good,” said Luciano.

“So it wasn’t all bad?” asked Aaron.

“We jumped off Brighton Pier, escaped the law, stole a motorboat and dealt with the deaths of Bradley and Riley. It’s just like Talia,” said Luciano.

“We always seem to get in trouble wherever we go,” said Sky.

“Let’s just hope we don’t run into James, Chad and Aiden again,” said Aaron.

“Well if we do, me and Nick can take care of them,” replied Sky. “Not to mention Luciano who’s killed two members of the d’Chimici family.”

“The first one I had helped on,” Luciano reminded Sky. “If it hadn’t been for Nick and Enrico, I’d probably be dead.”

“Well, you had us, so don’t worry about it.” Nick had joined them at some point.

“Too right,” said Sky.

“I wish I’d met you all earlier,” said Luciano.

“You already knew who Georgia was,” said Tom. “Wasn’t a little awkward?”

“Yes,” Luciano replied. Thinking of the first time Georgia had Stravagated to Remora. That first time Luciano and Dethridge had been visiting the Twelfth of the Ram. Georgia had been so shocked to see Luciano that she’d fainted, Stravagating back to Islington so quickly, they hadn’t really been able to swear that she’d been there at all.

“So maybe it was better that we didn’t all know each other,” said Nick.

“Says the person who nothing would’ve changed for,” said Aaron.

“I’m just making the point that going by Luc and Georgia’s first meeting that maybe it’s a good thing we didn’t know that the others existed…”

“But we all knew Lucien existed,” said Sky. “We all heard the announcement even though by the time we met him, we barely remembered what he’d said.”

“But Georgia was the one who knew me the best,” said Luciano. “Nick’s right. It’s better none of you knew me really well before.” He glanced at Tom. “It could’ve caused some awkward questions and I would’ve been forced…”

“We wouldn’t have forced you to reveal anything before you were ready,” said Sky, cutting across Luciano. “You do know that right?”

“Of course I know it,” Luciano replied.

A silence stretched out among the group. They had known that the time would come to talk of leaving, but they also knew that they didn’t want to leave. Even if what had happened to them in Brighton hadn’t been pleasant, Brighton Beach and Brighton Pier really were good places for a hangout.

“I’m thinking we should escape. Go out and just sit back on the pier,” said Nick. “We don’t have to go back to Islington today do we?”

“I don’t see why we can’t enjoy Brighton,” said Aaron. “The only one who has to worry about anything is Luc, and he said so himself that he’s been gone so long that Arianna and Rodolfo have probably noticed, and it’s not going to affect his return very much.”

“Then I say let’s go,” said Tom.

“I’ll grab the gear,” said Aaron, standing. “Nick, I could probably use a hand.”

“Sure,” said Nick, and followed Aaron outside to the shed where the Lloyd’s kept their beach gear. By the time Luciano, Sky and Tom had joined them, Nick and Aaron had loaded Connor’s truck, and they were ready.

“Wait for us!” Connor yelled from inside.

“Floor it,” said Aaron. Tom, Luciano and Sky jumped unartfully into the back, Aaron slid into the passenger seat, Nick jumped into the driver’s seat and floored it. The truck responded, shooting out of the Lloyd’s driveway.

Zak, Blake and Connor piled out of the Lloyd’s house, standing on the steps.

“See ya, suckers!” Luciano screamed.

“Seriously?” Blake yelled after them. “Again!” Luciano, Tom and Sky snorted with laughter and from the muffled sounds above the truck’s engine, Nick and Aaron were laughing as well.

As the truck disappeared, Blake, Zak and Connor faced each other.

“I can’t believe that happened again,” said Connor.

“I thought we were all cool after Riley’s death,” said Zak.

“Apparently not,” said Connor, darkly.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

While Connor, Zak and Blake were fuming about Aaron and his friends from Islington stealing Connor’s truck again, Luciano, Sky, Nick, Tom and Aaron were standing on the cement pier, letting the calming feelings of just standing there without anything to worry about flow through them. It was a calming period. A time when all the worry of the last few days dissipated into the air between them, letting them forget the horrible things that had happened in Brighton.

“Well it wasn’t exactly the calming vacation I pictured,” said Sky, breaking the silence.

“No,” Aaron replied, staring into the water. “It wasn’t.” He raised his eyes from the waves lapping against the concrete. “But I figured out something important.”

Tom, Sky and Nick looked at him. He had been the one had lost everything on this trip, and yet they didn’t understand. “What?” asked Nick. He could tell that Tom and Sky were just as confused as he was. When Nick glanced at Luciano on the other hand, he realized that Luciano understood. Inwardly, Nick groaned.

“They were never really my friends,” said Aaron. He looked around at the four people surrounding him. “You’ve been my friends more these past two weeks than Zak, Connor and Blake ever were and they were the ones who I grew up with.”

“I knew something didn’t seem right,” said Luciano. “Right from the start, I didn’t like how they had kept Bradley’s death from you. It wasn’t right that you had to find out the way you did.” Luciano paused. “They should’ve told you when it happened,” said Luciano, his voice carrying all the fierceness of someone who has been through something similar.

“Can I confess something?” asked Sky.

“Go ahead,” replied Aaron.

“It’s…” Sky started.

“I’m sure it can’t be nearly as bad as what they did to me in reality,” said Aaron. “I don’t think anything can be worse than how they acted.”

“Are you…?” Sky started again.

“Just say it,” said Nick, punching Sky playfully. “He isn’t reacting like the person we met a year ago.”

"I never liked them,” Sky stated. “From the second I saw them, something seemed off about them. Now I know what it was.”

“I think I just saw them for the last time,” asked Aaron.

“Sad?” asked Sky.

“Surprisingly, no,” Aaron replied. “I think it was a good choice to rid myself of them.”

“Definitely,” said Nick. He paused. “It’s a good thing you made the choice on your own, Aaron. Otherwise we might’ve had to do something.” His eyes flicked to Sky, who nodded.

“Don’t tell me you were going to go crazy on them with a foil,” said Aaron, guessing what was going through Sky and Nick’s heads.

“I think that was exactly what they were suggesting,” said Tom. “Sorry to disappoint.”

“I had a feeling that’s what they were going after,” said Aaron. “And they’re not going to want to visit me in Islington after this, but I think I’m okay with it. I mean, I’ve been living there for two years now, and they never came before.”

“Well luckily, I don’t think you’ll have to deal with them anymore,” said Sky.

“Right,” said Aaron. “I just have to stay out of Brighton.”

“Good thing there are other towns on the shore,” said Nick.

The silence spread through the group again. It was the kind of silence that is beautiful. The kind that no one feels the need to fill the awkward pause with conversation. For once things were feeling sort of beautiful.

“We should go to Southampton next,” said Sky.

“Don’t expect me to get away for that too,” said Luciano. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a long time before Rodolfo lets me come back here.”

“Well then we’re just going to have to grab Georgia, turn Tom into a Stravagante and come visit you in Bellezza,” said Nick.

“And when do you plan on doing that?” asked Luciano.

“We’ll figure it out over vacations,” said Nick. “In any case we’re going to still have a month of summer left once we get home.”

“If we ever decide to go home,” said Aaron.

“I thought you didn’t want to stay here,” said Tom.

“I said I didn’t want to see Zak, Connor or Blake,” said Aaron. “I didn’t say that I wanted to never come back to Brighton.”

“I forgot how nice it was by the shore,” said Sky. “I used to come a lot more often.”

Silence settled over the group again, but it wasn’t the awkward silence, that someone tries to break. It was the kind that could be basked in. It was the calming version.

“What do you think would happen if we went back and tried to explain?” asked Aaron.

“You aren’t seriously considering that option are you?” asked Tom.

“I’m just wondering what you think would happen,” said Aaron. “I’m not even thinking about coming back on a visit anytime soon.” He leaned back in the sand. “I think I’ll give Connor, Zak and Blake some time to leave Brighton before I even consider coming back.” He paused again. “This place really doesn’t hold that many happy memories for me anymore. It used to, but not anymore. I want to completely forget all the time I spent here with Connor, Riley, Blake and Zak, but I know that’s impossible. I know that I will never be able to do that.”

“You’re right,” said Luciano. “You won’t be able to forget it. Do you know how much easier it would be to live in the 16th century, if I didn’t know that all I had to do was fall asleep to get back in the 21st? The best thing to do is to forget about all the bad things that you associate with the place. That way you’ve only stuck with the good.”

“That sounds way too hard,” said Aaron, before realizing what he had said. “Luce, that was crass of me. I…”

“Don’t bother.” Luciano cut across Aaron. Aaron looked at Luciano. He looked completely unfazed by what Aaron had said.

“I…” Aaron started.

Luciano sat up, not even worrying about the strands of sand-covered hair falling into his face. “Don’t. I’m serious. I’ve got to stop getting on everyone’s backs whenever they mention something I don’t like. I can’t expect you avoid talking about everything except Talia.” Luciano met eyes with Tom. “Not to mention that one of my best friends hasn’t even been there and will have no idea what we’re talking about, even if I have told him everything.”

“Even Fabrizio?” asked Sky, his eyebrows raising slightly.

“Even Fabrizio,” Tom confirmed. “I know all about what happened the last time the three of you and Georgia went to Talia.”

“Well, at least we don’t have to keep anything from you,” said Nick. “Keeping all that from Connor, Zak, Riley and Blake was torture.”

“You’re telling me,” said Luciano. “It felt like everything that came out of my mouth was a lie.”

“And yet somehow we pulled it off,” said Aaron. “Thanks you guys for coming with me.”

“What are friends for?” asked Sky. “We’re your friends now, Aaron. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“Don’t worry,” said Aaron. “I’m not likely too. Especially with everything that’s been going on.”

“Shouldn’t you be heading back?” asked Nick, looking at Luciano.

“We’ve been through this, Nick,” said Luciano, trying not to roll his eyes. “I’ve been away long enough that I doubt my punishment is going to be any worse than it already is. Rodolfo really doesn’t have a good concept of what I’m doing here, so he can’t punish me for anything that happens here, he can only punish me for pushing myself too far.”

“Well, good luck with that, Luce,” said Sky. “I don’t think I’d want to piss Rodolfo off.”

“It probably wasn’t a good idea to not go back for such a long time, but I was needed here.”

“You could’ve gone back,” said Aaron. “We could’ve covered for you. We did it once.”

“I can tell where I’m needed and where I’m not. I didn’t see anything that I needed to stay in Bellezza for, so I decided my time was better spent here.”

“You’re probably right,” said Tom.

Luciano turned his attention fully on his oldest friend. “I never got a chance to tell you how much I appreciated everything you did for me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Everything you did for me, every time you stuck by me,” Luciano replied. “They told me what you did when Gina Carter said something horrible after I died.” Luciano looked at Sky pointedly. “I’m grateful for what you did. You didn’t deserve to go through that.” He looked around at the ground surrounding him. “None of us did. None of us deserved what happened to us to make us be Stravagante. It was all terrible, but we all got through it, some of us easier than others.” He glanced at Sky.

“He’s right,” said Nick. “You did have the easiest way to get out, out of all of us.”

“I know I did,” Sky replied. “But I don’t want you thinking that I had it easy at all. I barely knew my father before I became a Stravagante. Somehow when that happened, everything I wanted came to me.”

“It doesn’t always,” said Nick, darkly. He met eyes with Luciano. There would always be something that only the two of them shared. They were the only ones who were from the other side, who had switched sides, even though Nick had chosen it, and Luciano had had no choice. There was still something there that the others would never understand.

***

“Where the hell are they?” asked Connor. Before him was Zak. “And where’s Blake?”

“He…” Zak started.

“They took your truck. Again,” said Blake, as he slid into the room.

“What?” asked Connor.

“Don’t ask me to repeat it,” said Blake. “I’m really not in the mood for you yelling at me right now.”

“Repeat,” Connor glowered.

“Fine,” Blake snapped in reply. “They took your truck. Again.”

“Why in bloody hell would they do that?” Connor exploded.

“This,” Zak responded, flopping on the couch Luciano had spent the night on.

“What?” asked Connor, turning, his annoyance away from Blake, and directing it at Zak.

“They wanted this,” said Zak. “They wanted you to be angry with them.”

“Well, I am,” said Connor. “Find me a mode of transportation, and get me to the beach. I need to have a serious conversation. With all of them.”

“Will walking do?” asked Blake.

Connor rolled his eyes. “Anything else?”

“Possibly,” Blake replied.

“Check the garage,” Zak advised.

“I’m not your servant!” Blake snapped. “And you obviously don’t respect me! I don’t even know why I’m still here!”

“I don’t know!” Connor snapped. “Either get out or find me a mode of transportation!”

“I’m out,” said Blake.

“Fine!” Connor snapped. “I have Zak! I don’t need you! Now get out and leave me alone!”

“Gladly.” Blake walked out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

Silence broke out over the Lloyd living room. Connor glowered at the door that Blake had slammed out of. Finally, Zak broke the silence:

“He’s right, you know,” said Zak. “Walking is the only way.”

“Do you think he’s coming back?” Connor sank onto the couch, by Zak’s feet.

Zak swung his feet around Connor, sitting up and leaning forward into his hands. “No,” Zak replied, staring at the floor. “I don’t think he’s coming back.”

“Great,” said Connor, leaning his back against the wall. “We’re alone.”

Zak raised his eyes from the floor. “We’re not alone, Connor. We have each other. We have the memories with Riley and Blake.”

“But one’s run away and the other’s dead,” Connor replied. “Either one is going to be of much help to us.”

“I know, but I also know that we can get something done.”

“With what?” Connor snorted. “We’re alone.”

“No, you’re not.” Connor and Zak turned to the door. Blake was standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe.

“Why are you here?” asked Zak, standing

“I didn’t get very far before I decided that you were going to need me,” said Blake. He turned to Connor. “Connor, look, I’m sorry about what I said. I’m sorry I yelled. You didn’t deserve that.” He looked at Zak. “None of us deserve that.”

“It’s alright, Blake,” said Connor, standing and trying to keep his cool. “I’m not going to do anything to you. I’m not going to throw you out again. That was uncalled for, and I hope never do it again to either one of you. I don’t want to throw you out of my life.”

“I would have every reason to,” said Blake.

“And yet I’m not going to do so, so stop trying to make me angry enough that I could,” Connor replied.

After that, Blake decided it was best to keep his mouth shut. He hadn’t last fifteen minutes away from Zak and Connor, after walking away on his own terms. He didn’t want to force Connor into making a decision against one of his closest friends. That definitely wasn’t what he wanted. Blake watched at Connor and Zak talked about what to do with Aaron, and the group from Islington that was obviously led by the mysterious Lucien Mulholland. None of them had gotten a good grasp on him over the two weeks they had spent together. They had no idea where he had come from. It didn’t seem like he really was from Islington, well maybe originally, but he’d lost some of the quality that the others had.

“Blake,” said Connor.

“What?” asked Blake.

Connor sighed, massaging his forehead, trying to clear the headache that was growing there. “I asked if you come with us to talk to the others.”

“Of course,” said Blake. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I’m just not sure if I can…” Connor stopped. Putting a hand on the couch that he’d been sitting on to stabilize himself.

“Connor?” asked Zak worry forcing through his voice. “Are you all right?”

“I will be,” said Connor, trying to shake the dizziness from his body.

Blake grabbed Connor’s arm, easing him down into the couch. “Do you think you can…”

“I’m not waiting!” Connor snapped, cutting across Blake. “We can’t wait! Not for this!” 

“You’re clearly not well enough to move,” said Zak, sitting on the couch next to Connor, while Blake kneeled in front of Connor, ready to force Connor back onto the couch if necessary.

“I know you think this is the most important thing in your life right now,” said Blake. “But we don’t think it is. We want you to take care of yourself, Connor, and you’re clearly not doing that.”

“I suppose you have a suggestion about that as well,” said Connor.

Blake let out a laugh that echoed around the living room. “Of course I do, and you are going to sleep in your own bed tonight. None of this sleeping on the couch, or giving up your bed for us,” said Blake firmly.

“Tonight we’re sleeping on the floor,” said Zak just as firmly. “And we’re letting Aaron and his friends go. We’re not going to chase them down. We’re going to let them go and leave them in peace.”

***

Luciano, Aaron, Nick, Sky and Tom were surprised by the fact that Connor, Blake and Zak hadn’t come after them. They ended up spending the night on beach. Ignoring the fact that they would be returning to Islington the next day wearing some very sandy clothes. At the moment, they really didn’t care. They just wanted to spend the night outside. It had been something they had been planning with Riley, Connor, Blake and Zak, but it had never happened. And after Riley’s funeral, the group had fractured, throwing away all possibility of them doing it together. For a couple of days it had seemed like they may possibly have a chance to make it up to each other, but that obviously wasn’t going to be happening anymore.

“Were you really expecting them to come after us?” asked Sky.

It was the next morning and everyone had woken up early and stayed up late, which they were seriously regretting now, but they figured they could sleep the entire way from Brighton to Islington, which was a rather long train ride.

“Yes,” said Luciano. “I certainly wasn’t expecting them to not turn up at all.”

“Yeah, that was kind of weird wasn’t it?” asked Sky.

“I would’ve thought they at least would’ve wanted to get the truck back,” said Nick.

“We’ll leave it in the parking lot,” said Aaron. “They’ll find it later.”

Luciano laughed. “I wish I could see their faces when they find out that Connor’s truck is down by the pier.”

“I’m not so sure you’d want to see that,” said Aaron darkly. “You saw how pissed Connor got the last time it happened.”

“But you’ve got to admit, Aaron,” said Sky, trying to hold his own laughter back. “That it was funny.”

“Okay, okay,” said Aaron, letting go. “I’ll admit it was pretty funny.”


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Luciano, Nick, Aaron, Tom and Sky decided to take Connor’s truck to Brighton Station. Sky drove, while Aaron sat in the passenger seat so he could direct Sky around the city he’d grown up, and now doubted would ever return to. Unlike most people, Aaron didn’t seem down about it. He seemed just as happy and hyper as before. He didn’t act like he was leaving behind the people he had counted as friends until he’d moved to Islington. In the truck bed, Nick, Tom and Luciano held a whispered conversation, while trying to hide from the police. The last thing the group needed was to get pulled over by a pissed off cop. They were tired enough as is and they just wanted to get on the train back to Brighton so they could get a good long sleep.

Sky swung into a parking spot on a street near Brighton Station. They knew that there was a likely chance that once Connor, Blake and Zak managed to track down Connor’s truck, that Connor would have a parking ticket. They didn’t care. All they cared about was getting back to Islington and – in Luciano’s case – Bellezza.

“Do you think we can come visit you in Bellezza?” asked Sky, as he pulled the key out the ignition and jumped out of the truck. “Once Rodolfo calms down from this and everything.” Leaving the truck unlocked, Sky left the key on the seat.

Luciano jumped out of the back. “I don’t see why not,” said Luciano. “Though you are right, you may want to give Rodolfo some time to cool off. He’s probably going to be pissed at me.”

“Well you did say that you thought staying with us was more important,” said Nick, as he joined Luciano, Tom, Sky and Aaron on the pavement.

“Rodolfo will probably find something to use against me as a reason for not getting visitors,” Luciano muttered. “On the bright side, Cesare is now living with us since Teresa kicked him out after Paolo’s death, so he can’t completely cut me off from my friends.”

“Wait until I tell Georgia,” said Nick. “She’s either going to be happy or angry, and there’s no way to tell which.”

“She’s probably going to fluctuate between the two,” said Tom.

“Probably,” said Aaron. “And I’m not looking forward to her rampages.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it,” said Luciano. “I’ll be on lock down.”

Laughter flung between them as the group walked into Brighton Station. Nick led the way over to an empty window.

“Five one-way tickets to London Waterloo,” said Nick. The girl behind the glass nodded and began typing information into a computer in front of her. A few minutes later, five tickets slid through.

“Here you are,” said the girl.

“Thanks,” said Nick, grabbing the tickets. Nick distributed the tickets, as they rushed through the crowds looking for the board.

“There,” said Aaron, pointing.

“Track 7,” said Luciano.

“Go left,” said Aaron. “Come on. We have 12 minutes.” The group rushed through the crowds to the other end of the room. The group from Islington rushed after Aaron, ignoring the fact that Aaron was probably thinking about this being the last time he was going to be in Brighton Station for a while.

Luckily for them, with the help of Aaron, they got on the train with 7 minutes to spare. As the train pulled out of the station, Nick heard a voice that made his blood run cold.

“I’m going to beat Barnsbury so hard this year,” said the voice. Nick and Sky looked at each other.

“I don’t know, you aren’t taking all their competitors into account. What about Duke and Meadows?”

“They’re nothing,” the first voice replied. “I can take them any day.”

The car door slid open. It was Chad, James and Aiden. “Really?” asked Luciano. “Again?” Tom looked at Luciano quizzically. “We ran into them on the train down too,” Luciano replied to Tom’s unasked question. “We also ran into them while we were in Brighton.”

“And neither meeting was enjoyable,” Sky added.

“What are you doing here?” asked Nick.

“Going home,” said Aiden.

“Not trying to challenge us?” asked James.

“Why would we challenge you on the train?” asked Sky. “This isn’t a movie.”

“And how do you know?” asked James.

“The music is nonexistent,” said Luciano flatly.

“Who’s this?” asked Chad.

“I’m their friend,” said Luciano. “And messing with me Chad Evans would be a very bad idea.”

Chad snorted. “Why? I don’t remember you on the Barnsbury fencing team.”

“I’m not,” said Luciano.

Then why should I be afraid of you?” asked Chad.

"I know all your secrets,” Luciano replied.

Chad laughed. “I doubt it.”

“You have no idea what I know,” said Luciano. “You have no idea what I’ve been through.”

Chad raised his eyebrows. “You really think you can talk me down by doing that?” he asked.

“How should I know if I don’t try,” Luciano responded.

“It’s common sense,” said Chad.

“Maybe to you.”

“This isn’t a good idea.”

“How should I know if I don’t try?” Luciano repeated.

Chad turned to his friends. “How do you mute this thing?”

“You don’t,” Luciano hissed.

“Ooooo, touchy,” Aiden commented.

“You don’t want to piss him off,” said Nick carefully.

“Too late I think,” said Aiden, with a laugh. Chad glared at Aiden.

Luciano snorted. “You haven’t seen anything yet. You haven’t seen what I can do.”

Aiden laughed. “I don’t need to. I can see that you’re a good for nothing loser.”

Tom grabbed Luciano’s arm, pulling him back. “Don’t do anything you’d regret later, Luce,” Tom whispered.       

“If I killed him I wouldn’t regret it,” Luciano whispered back.

Tom let a smile flicker around his mouth. “I know you wouldn’t,” said Tom. “But it won’t do you any good to get arrested here.”

Grumbling, Luciano took a step back. He hated stepping down when he knew he could win, but he also knew that Tom was right. “I hate it when you’re right,” Luciano whispered.

“Nothing’s changed there then,” Tom commented.

“Not a thing,” Luciano responded.

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” said Nick.

“What?” asked Chad.

“Engaged Lucien,” said Sky.

“Is that his name?” asked James mockingly. He looked at Luciano as he said it.

“Yes!” snapped Luciano furious. “And if you don’t believe me, fine! But don’t take it out on my friends!”

“Luce,” said Tom.

“You don’t understand,” Luciano muttered. “You have no idea how much I want to rip his head off.”

Tom managed to hold back his laughter. “You really don’t think I understand what you’re going through? Do you really think anyone ignored the fact that I was your best friend after you died? For months I had to deal with people’s pitying looks. My record isn’t exactly clean anymore.”

“You stood up for yourself,” said Luciano. “That’s just what I’m trying to do here.”

“Go,” said Tom. “Just try to keep it under control.”

“Evans,” Luciano hissed, stepping up beside Sky. “Do you have something to say to me friends?”

“Piss off, Mulholland,” said Chad.

“About that,” said Luciano. “I can’t.”

“I would do it,” said Sky quietly.

“I can manage this,” whispered Luciano.

“Enough,” said Chad.

Luciano sighed, directing his gaze at Chad. “It wasn’t about you, Evans. Stop being so paranoid.”

“Paranoid?” Chad erupted. Even James and Aiden had to hold back their laughter. Chad was taking everything Luciano said completely out of proportion. “You think _I’m_ paranoid? What about _you_?”

“What about me?”

“I…I…” Chad started.

Luciano laughed. “You can’t even string two words together. Some help you’re going to be to this country.”

“I…” Chad tried again.

“Don’t even try to talk me down, Evans, it’s not going to work. You should know that.”

Chad stared at Luciano. He knew he had never met the boy before, but something seemed familiar about him. “Have I met you before?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve been abroad for several years.”

“Where?”

“Why does that matter?”

“It doesn’t seem like you’ve been abroad.”

“You don’t seem like you’re the head of the fencing team at Central Foundation, and yet you are.”

“Of course I am,” said Chad, glad that Luciano had finally acknowledged who he was.

“But you see, before Nick, I was Barnsbury Comp’s fencing champion,” Luciano replied. Okay, so that was a lie. He hadn’t started fencing until he’d translated to Bellezza, had met Nick and Sky, and gotten himself into a duel with Nick’s father Niccolo, but Chad wasn’t to know any of it. Besides, Luciano, Sky and Nick all knew that Luciano could pull it off after what he’d pulled in Giglia a year ago with the death of Grand Duke Fabrizio.

“Really?” Chad’s eyebrows rose towards his hairline.

“Really,” Luciano responded, fighting to keep his own brows level.

“Is that a challenge?” asked James.

“Don’t do this,” Nick warned.

Luciano turned around, pulling Nick and Sky into a compartment. He slammed the doors shut as Nick and Sky took a seat.

“Why are you questioning this?” asked Luciano, as he sat down opposite Nick and Sky.

“Because we’ve both fenced against him,” said Sky. “And it hasn’t ended well for either one of us.”

“So you’re trying to stop me,” deduced Luciano.

"We’re not trying to control your actions if that’s what you’re thinking,” said Nick. “We all know that you hate that, and we would never do it to you on purpose.”

Luciano glared at his friends darkly. “Look,” said Sky. “We just don’t…”

“Don’t bother,” said Luciano, and stormed out of the compartment.

Nick and Sky exchanged glances. “I’m thinking we should go after him,” said Nick.

“And I’m thinking you’re right,” Sky responded.

When Sky and Nick returned, Luciano and Chad were standing at the front. James and Aiden behind Chad and Tom and Aaron behind Luciano. Sky and Nick slid into their places beside Tom and Aaron, once more outnumbering Chad and his followers. Luciano could see immediately, that James and Aiden had relaxed just a little too quickly. As he watched, James and Aiden tried to throw him off by striking a different pose.

“What’s your deal?” asked Luciano.

“What?” asked Aiden.

“Don’t ever relax,” said Luciano.

“We weren’t,” said James.

“Trying to fool me, boys,” mused Luciano. “That’s a very bad idea, boys. Very bad indeed.”

James tried to laugh it off. “It wasn’t that bad,” he responded.

“It’s not nothing,” Aiden hissed in his ear, but it never the less carried off across the deserted car.

The train jerked into motion. “What do you think, Luce? Find a compartment?” asked Tom.

“Sure,” said Luciano. He turned around to face his friends, letting the slightest of smiles cross his face. “Coming?” Luciano asked, looking at Nick, Sky and Aaron. Nick nodded.

“Wait,” said James.

Luciano turned around. This time, he didn’t make it any secret. He was full-on glaring at the other boy. “What?”

“You didn’t think we were just going to let it go did you?” asked Nick.

“That’s kind of what we were hoping,” said James, a hopeful look in his eye.

“Wipe that hopeful look out of your eye,” Nick spat. “It’s not going to do you any good. Not now, not ever again, not in front of us.”

The hopeful glint disappeared. “Happy?” asked Aiden.

“No,” said Aaron.

“Are you…?” Sky asked.

“Don’t,” Aaron replied, quietly. “I just lost friends to some shitty cause.”

Sky nodded, knowing that it was far better to let Aaron loose on Chad, Aiden and James than Nick, Luciano and himself. “Go get them,” said Sky.

“Hey!” called Aaron. Nick and Luciano looked at Aaron in surprise.

“What’s this?” whispered Nick.

“Isn’t it better to let Aaron’s anger loose on Chad, Aiden and James than the four of us?” Sky whispered back.

“Of course it is,” whispered Nick in return.

“Then let him,” whispered Luciano. He leaned against the glass door of a compartment. “If only we were in Talia, then he would be dead by now.”

“Too right,” Nick replied.

“We’ll just going to have to wait until school starts again,” said Sky.

“Make sure you beat all three of them,” Luciano hissed, trying to not to let his anger show, but failing.

“Don’t worry about it, Luce,” said Tom. “I’ve seen them in action. Those three,” Tom gestured with his head at Chad, Aiden and James. “They don’t stand a chance.”

“I know they don’t,” Luciano replied. “I’ve seen them in action too. In Giglia last year.”

“Don’t you dare put all that on us,” said Nick. “You were the one who killed Fabrizio. And let me tell you, the entire city of Giglia will forever be in your debt. I know I am.”

“And yet in Giglia, you have no authority anymore,” said Sky.

“What are you…?” Aiden started. It was obvious that Aiden had overheard at least part of Nick, Tom, Sky and Luciano’s conversation.

“Not on your life will you hear what they said,” Aaron snapped.

“Who are you to tell us what to do?” asked Aiden.

“You don’t want to do this,” Aaron warned. “Not right now.”

This time Nick, Tom, Sky and Luciano stayed quiet, blocking the door. The only way Aiden, James and Chad could escape now was by turning around and going out the way they had come. If they were smart enough to do that which both Nick and Sky doubted, having seen how stupid all three of them could be at times.

“What?” asked Chad mockingly to Nick and Sky. “No come back?”

“Aaron’s got it covered,” said Nick stubbornly.

Chad laughed. “You trust too easily, Duke.”

“Unlike you, who never trusts anyone, Evans,” Nick mocked.

“That’s the only way,” said Chad.

“No,” said Aaron. “The only way to do it is to make sure that you’re winning from the start.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” asked James, crossing his arms.

“Just the way I am,” Aaron replied.

James snorted. “Tell away, Burns.” James spat the surname out, like the word would physically burn the inside of his mouth if it stayed there too long.

“Aaron,” said Nick.

“Don’t,” Aaron replied. “Just don’t get involved in this. I have it…”

Chad dove in, gripping Aaron in a headlock. Chad laughed. “What are you going to do now, Mulholland?”

“You bastard!” Nick spat.

“You have no idea what Lucien’s role in this is, and you’re involving him?” Tom asked.

“I would’ve thought you would’ve figured out by now that that’s how I roll, Nelson.”

“How…?” Tom started.

“Don’t question how I know these things,” Chad replied. “I just do.”

“No,” said Tom. “I’m not going to not involve myself in something that you’ve obviously seen fit to involve all my friends in.”

“These aren’t you friends,” said Aiden. “They don’t even know you.”

“And you don’t know me,” said Tom, taking advantage of the fact that he, James, Aiden and Chad had just met. “So I guess we’re even.”

“I don’t like being even with anyone,” said Chad, still holding Aaron in the headlock. Aaron bit back the scream of anger he felt coming into his mouth.

“I can see that,” said Tom levelly, coolly. The picture of calm.

"You don’t want to do this,” said Aaron.

“You keep quiet,” said Chad. “Or all your friends get it.” Aaron shut his mouth, but Nick, Luciano, Tom and Sky all took a step forward.

“You really don’t want to take us on,” said Sky.

“And you’re outnumbered,” Tom added.

“You…” Aiden started.

“You can’t get backup out here,” said Luciano. “We’re miles away from Islington where I imagine the rest of your little band is. How stupid you are to just leave with these two.” Luciano gave Aiden and James a nod. Aiden held James back, as James made a leap for Luciano out of anger for his accusation. “Now, let go of my friend, and nothing will happen to you.”

“And if we don’t?” asked James.

“Then you’ll wish you never had,” Sky responded.

Chad’s eyes flickered over to Sky’s stubborn expression. “Do you really know who you just threatened?”

Sky snorted. “Evans, why don’t you just let our friend go, and nothing will happen to you. If you don’t, I can’t promise that we won’t all go ballistic on you.”

“And I can’t promise that we won’t do the same to you,” Chad responded.

“Then I guess we’re even,” said Sky.

“Fine!” Chad snapped. He threw Aaron into the open compartment. “Have it your way!” He turned to James and Aiden. “Let’s get out of here!”

“Chad…” Aiden started.

"We’re getting off this train at the next stop,” Chad replied.

“But…” James tried.

“Just shut up!” Chad snapped, cutting across James. As Chad, James and Aiden disappeared, Luciano turned around. Aaron was still lying on the floor.

“Aaron?” asked Luciano, kneeling at Aaron’s side. “Are you alright?”     

Aaron slowly sat up. “Luce, I…”

“Don’t,” said Nick, entering the compartment with Sky and Tom close behind him. “You got thrown against that seat pretty hard.”

Tom slammed the door shut. “You’d both better beat all three of them in the next meet,” said Tom angrily.

“Believe me,” said Nick, gritting his teeth. “I plan to.”

“I really wish it was acceptable to kill all three of those bastards,” muttered Sky.

Luciano looked at Sky. “Unless you can get them all to Talia, I don’t think you can unless you want to end up in jail.” Luciano stood. “They’re not worth that, Sky. Trust me.”

“I know,” said Sky. “There are just times ever since we came back that I wish certain things were still acceptable.” He looked out the door of the compartment in the direction Aiden, James and Chad had gone. “And this is one of those times.”

“Do you really think I’m not thinking along the same lines as you?” asked Luciano darkly, as Tom knelt beside Aaron.

Sky considered what Luciano had said for a moment. “No,” Sky finally replied. “I don’t think you’re not thinking along the same lines. I just think that in your world it’s a lot easier to deal with people like that.”

Luciano shook his head. “You’d be surprised about how many people don’t get what they deserve.”

“Well these people do,” said Nick firmly, with a quick look at Aaron. “They deserve what me and Sky are going to throw at them.”

“Are you alright?” asked Tom. He had managed to get Aaron settled on one of the seats.

“Yeah,” said Aaron. “I think so.”

“Just lie still will you?” asked Luciano. “I don’t think any of us can deal with anymore drama on this trip.” He paused. “Particularly you.”

“I don’t want any of you to feel bad for me,” said Aaron, as Tom sat down by Aaron’s feet and Nick, Sky and Luciano sat on the seat across from them.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Luciano. “Just don’t go to sleep. If you have a concussion that’s the worst thing for you to do.”

“But…” Aaron started.

“Aaron,” Luciano cut across Aaron. “I don’t want you worrying about this. Let Sky, Nick and I deal with James, Aiden and Chad.”

“Luce…” Aaron tried again.

“Aaron,” said Nick, interrupting this time. “Luce is right. You shouldn’t be worrying about this. Not right now.”

“But it’s my fault,” said Aaron quickly, knowing that if he didn’t talk fast someone was going to interrupt him again.

“No,” said Sky, reaching across the space between the seats and squeezing Aaron’s arm. “None of it was your fault. Not Bradley. Not Chad. Not James or Aiden. Not even Riley.” Sky paused. He met Tom’s eyes. “None of us want you to think that this was your fault. It wasn’t.”


	21. Chapter Twenty

When the train pulled into Islington Station, Luciano, Nick, Aaron, Tom and Sky were only too glad that James, Chad and Aiden had decided to ditch them and they had decided to ditch Connor, Blake and Zak. Strangely, Aaron seemed the least affected by the whole affair or maybe it was because he was tired and all he wanted to do was sleep. Something that Luciano, Nick, Tom and Sky were all adamantly against.

“How are you doing?” asked Sky, as they gathered their various bags.

“Alright I guess,” Aaron replied.

“Tired?” Sky asked.

“A bit,” said Aaron, trying to hold back a yawn.

“Once we get home we’ll get Vicky to drive you to the doctor to get it checked out,” said Nick.

“I really wish you wouldn’t baby me,” Aaron muttered to Luciano.

“If you think I’m helping you get out of this one, you’re out of luck,” said Luciano. “I think Nick’s going about this the right way.”

“You were the one who said I should stay awake,” Aaron muttered, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

“Because I care about you,” said Luciano fiercely.

“No shit,” Aaron muttered.

“I know you’re probably not happy with any of us at the moment,” said Tom. “But we’re all just trying to look out for you.”

“I know,” said Aaron, trying to hold back another yawn. “I just hate feeling stifled.”

"Tell me about it,” Luciano muttered. “Do you have any idea how pissed Rodolfo is going to be with me when I get back? I’d rather not deal with it at all. If only Cesare hadn’t decided to move in with us.”

Nick, Aaron, Sky and Luciano exchanged glances. They’d been part of the group that had been trying to get Paolo Montalbano out of Fabrizio’s palace. Paolo had later died from the injuries he’d sustained in Fabrizio’s dungeon, putting new pressures on them because they thought it may have been they’re fault, even everyone had told them that they weren’t.

“Why is that?” asked Nick.

“I’ll tell you when we get out of the station,” said Luciano.

“Fair plan,” said Nick. “Let’s go.”

Luciano, Sky, Nick and Aaron left the train. They walked up to street level where Nick called a cab and the four of them clambered into the back, Nick giving the Mulholland’s address.

“How are you doing?” Sky whispered.

“Okay,” Luciano replied, leaning back into the seat.

“You can return soon,” Nick whispered.

Luciano nodded, not trusting that he wouldn’t say something that would give away the fact that he hadn’t lived the 21st century except for a few sporadic days for four years.

***

When the taxi pulled up in front of the Mulholland’s house, Luciano, Aaron, Sky and Tom clambered out, leaving Nick to pay the driver. As Nick jumped out, and the taxi drove away, Nick whirled on his friends.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Nick hissed.

“I can’t believe you almost gave the guy the wrong address,” said Tom.

“You do it next time if you’re so afraid that I’m going to mess it up!” Nick snapped.

“Nick,” said Sky, caution showing itself through his voice.

“What?” asked Nick annoyed.

“We’re all stressed, we’re all tired, and yelling isn’t helping anything,” said Luciano. “We know that the right thing to do is…?”

The front door opened. “What is going on, I…?” the voice cut Luciano off, then trailed off as she saw Luciano.

“Hey, Mum.”

“Lucien, what are you doing here?”

“There’s nothing against coming back, it’s what I am,” said Luciano. “Now let’s go inside before the neighbors start to suspect something.”

Vicky Mulholland could only nod in bewilderment at her son’s words. She hadn’t seen Lucien in at least two years. The last time she’d seen him he’d asked for a shower and a pizza. She stood aside letting Luciano, Sky, Nick, Tom and Aaron into the house.

“All right,” said Vicky, once they were all gathered in the living room. “Tell me what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Aaron muttered. “Absolutely nothing.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, Aaron,” said Vicky. “But I know it isn’t nothing.”

Luciano raised his head, looking at Vicky through the tangle of black curls. “Mum, I’m not trying to be rude, but could you leave?”

Vicky looked around at the group of teenagers. “Yeah, sure,” she said. “If you need anything I’ll be around.”

“Thanks,” said Luciano.

Vicky nodded, and started leaving. “Wait,” said Nick. Vicky turned the face them. “Can I borrow the car?”

“What for?” asked Vicky.

In the moments leading up to them going into the living room, they had momentarily forgotten the reasoning behind all of them going to the Mulholland’s. “Aaron fell,” said Nick. “We just want to get it checked out. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Go ahead,” said Vicky, and disappeared into the house.

“Do I have to move?” asked Aaron, from his spot on the couch.

“Unless you’ve learned how to move concussions, yes,” said Sky.

“Fine,” Aaron grumbled. “But I’m not happy about this.”

“Well as soon as we deal with this, we’ll let you sleep,” said Luciano. “I promise.”

“I’ll get the car,” said Nick and left.

***

Once Dr. Kennedy had given the all clear, the group left and went home. There had been a moment where Dr. Kennedy might have gotten a glimpse of Luciano or Nick, but Luciano had the good sense to whisper a: “good luck” to Aaron, had grabbed Nick and had dragged him out of the office ignoring the awkward questions the receptionist was calling after them as they exited the building heading to the car to wait for the rest of their friends.

“That was close,” said Luciano.

“What? You know her?” asked Nick as he slid into the car.

“Yeah, she was my GP.”

“I can see why you ignored the receptionist’s questions. Not really all that surprising though really,” said Nick. “I mean, a whole group of teenagers coming in and then two of them leaving, that might just have struck her as odd.”

“Plenty of adults leave their kids to wait in doctor’s offices alone,” said Luciano. “It’s not out of the ordinary.”

“True, but you do really blame her for asking?”

“No,” Luciano replied, leaning his forehead into his hands.

Nick leaned over the gearshift. “Luce, are you okay?”

“Yeah, just don’t expect me back here anytime soon.”

“You could’ve gone back while we at home.”

“I know, but I was worried about Aaron.”

Nick sighed. “Now I see what Arianna was talking about.”

Luciano raised his head. “What?”

“The last time I saw Arianna we got into a conversation. Somehow we ended up talking about you and then somehow she told me that you are horrible at taking care of yourself.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Nick only glared at him. “Fine, but if you collapse on the way home, I’m not responsible.”

“Nor would I hold you responsible.”

“Can we go?” It was Sky. During the conversation, Tom, Sky and Aaron had come out of the doctor’s office and had slid into the backseat without Nick or Luciano noticing.

“Sure,” said Nick, looking flustered and pushing the gearshift into ‘drive’.

***

“When you are going back?” asked Sky.

“As soon as I can possibly get away from everyone and not be rude,” Luciano replied.

“There you go,” said Nick, stopping and looking both ways for cars. “This is what Arianna was talking about.”

“Since when do you talk to Arianna?” Luciano grumbled.

“It wasn’t my doing,” said Nick. “She’s the one who dragged me into a corner. I couldn’t exactly excuse myself from her.”

“There are ways,” Luciano muttered to the houses as he looked out the window, purposely avoiding his friend’s eyes.

“So you’re not going to stay any longer?” asked Tom.

“I can’t,” said Luciano. “I wish I could though. Rodolfo and Arianna are going to be annoyed enough with me as is. I should probably alleviate their fears that I died.”

“I’m really not in the mood for morbidity right now,” Aaron muttered.

“Do you your body a favor and get some sleep,” said Luciano. “I know you got the clearance as long as someone wakes you up every so often.”

“How…?” Aaron started.

“Just trust me,” said Luciano. “And get some sleep.”

“I’ll wake you up when we get back,” said Sky. “You have nothing to worry about, we’re all right here.”

“I’ll try to come back in a few days,” said Luciano. “But I’m not making any promises.”

“Good luck with being chewed up by Rodolfo and Arianna, mate,” said Tom, as Nick turned onto the street he lived on.

Luciano shut his eyes, willing long forgotten memories to stay in the back of his brain. It always surprised him that when he came back details of his life as ‘Lucien Mulholland’ came flooding back to him.

“Are you okay?” asked Sky, as Nick parked the car and Tom nudged Aaron awake.

“Yeah,” said Luciano, getting out and heading for the door. “Just tired.”

“All right then,” said Sky. “If you’re sure.”

“I am!” Luciano snapped.

Sky took a step back, looking at Luciano with a flicker of fear in his eyes. “Luce…” he whispered.

“He’ll be fine,” said Tom joining Sky on the sidewalk with Nick and Aaron. “He’s tired.”

Sky didn’t even bother questioning Tom about it. Tom had known Luciano longer than all of them, and there was no reason to think that Luciano had changed his core personality all that much.

As the group headed into the house, they were met by Vicky. Sky, Tom and Aaron went towards the kitchen to find food, but Vicky stopped Luciano and Nick.

“How was it?” she asked.

“It was fine,” said Nick, trying to brush off her question, but not be rude about it. Nick brushed past her.

“He’ll be fine, Mum.” Vicky looked up, meeting eyes with Luciano.

“Luce…” Vicky started.

“I know,” said Luciano, giving her a quick hug. “I look tired. I’m going upstairs and solving that problem right now.”

“Your father’s in the kitchen,” said Vicky. “He’ll probably want to see you. Just tell him you can’t stay long.”

Luciano sighed. This was one of those times when he wished he was living here. “Okay, but I’ve got to go soon.”

Vicky nodded. “He knows.”

Luciano smiled, following Nick into the kitchen.

***

The Mulholland’s kitchen was crowded with people. David Mulholland had come home, made a cup of coffee and had settled at the kitchen table with his laptop. Sky and Tom were sitting on one of the counters while Aaron sat in a chair backwards.

“Do you really think he’s going to be okay?” asked Sky.

Tom couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. “It’s Luce. He’s going to be fine. I’ve seen him like this before. It’s just the tiredness. It makes him irritable.”

“Good to know that part has stayed the same,” said David, looking up from his laptop.

“All right, you can stop talking about me now.” Luciano, Nick and Vicky were in the doorway. Vicky joined David at the other end of the table, while Luciano and Nick each drew a chair out, straddling it the way Aaron was, joining in the conversation.

Sky let out a laugh. “It wasn’t anything bad.”

“I can tell you were worrying about me,” Luciano replied. “I told you not to do that.”

“How can we not worry?” asked Nick. “You’re our friend.”

Luciano pushed his hair out of his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just so sick of everyone trying to control me when I’m tired or I’m about to do something crazy.”

Tom hopped off the counter. “I know you don’t like being controlled, you never have. It doesn’t surprise me that you kept that part of your personality. But sometimes you have to let other people care about you.”

“I know, and I know that it’s one of my faults that I push people away when they try.”

Luciano tried to look away, but Tom forced Luciano to meet his eyes. “I’m not going to force you do anything you don’t want to do. I learned that hard way.”

“What…?” Aaron started to ask.

“I’ll tell you later,” said Luciano. “It’ll give us something to talk about when you visit me in Talia.”

After two weeks of not being about to mention ‘Talia’ and having to go by his former name, it felt good to not have rules that he had to have constantly going through his brain. No more having to internally edit everything he wanted to say to keep his past away from Connor, Riley, Zak and Blake. It felt good. There was no denying it.

“Yeah, whenever Rodolfo and Arianna stop being pissed at you,” said Sky.

"If you wait for their anger to be completely gone, you’ll be waiting a very long time,” said Luciano, trying to keep the darkness out of his voice.

“I’ll see how long I can keep them in check,” said Nick.

“Don’t worry about me,” said Aaron. “I’m perfectly all right with hanging out in Islington for the rest of the summer and trying to forget about Riley.”

“You are aware you don’t have to keep anything from us don’t you?” asked Sky. “We’re all going to be here to help you through this.”

Luciano looked around at his friends. He really wanted to stay and hang out. It was obvious to him, if not to anyone else that Aaron was still suffering from the betrayal of Blake, Connor and Zak even if he wasn’t outwardly showing it. “Aaron? Can I talk you?”

“Did someone else die?” asked Aaron darkly, a glare showing through his eyes.

"No,” Luciano replied. “Unlike the last two times it isn’t bad.”

“Why can’t the rest of us hear it?” asked Nick.

Luciano let his gaze glance over Sky and Nick, skipping over Tom, knowing that Tom had thought that he was dead for three years, so he knew. “Tom, come with us?”

“Of course,” said Tom, for once not knowing what his friend was about to say.

“I think we’re going to leave you kids alone,” said David, standing up with a yawn.

“We’ll see you in the morning, Nick,” said Vicky. Nick just nodded, staring at the wall. Vicky and David left the room, heading up the stairs.

“Tom, Aaron, now please,” said Luciano. Tom and Aaron nodded, following Luciano out into the hallway.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” asked Sky, leaning his head against the cabinets.

“Probably something about how they both know what he’s going through,” said Nick. “You saw it as well as I. He plainly isn’t over the deaths of Riley and Bradley or over the betrayal of Connor, Blake and Zak.”

“They were jerks,” said Sky. “I didn’t like any of them from the beginning.”

“We know!” Luciano yelled from the hallway.

“We know that,” said Nick, lowering his voice. “I just don’t think the thought of this happening ever really went through Aaron’s mind.”


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

“Okay Luciano,” said Tom, the moment Luciano had closed the door between the hallway and the kitchen. “Out with it. What’s going on?”

“Aaron,” Luciano started. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” Aaron replied. “What’s going on?”

“How are you okay with all of this?” asked Luciano. “You shouldn’t be this okay, Aaron.”

“But I am.” There was a fierceness in Aaron’s voice that Luciano hadn’t heard there before.

“You’re not okay with this,” said Tom, catching on to what Luciano’s purpose of bringing him was. “You’re acting the exact same way I did when Lucien died.”

"I’m not you!” Aaron snapped.

“This is what I’m talking about,” said Luciano. “You want everyone to think you’re okay. You don’t want to burden anyone. I…”

“How can you possibly understand what I’m going through?” Aaron erupted. “You didn’t lose anything! You can still come back here whenever you want! Me, I just lost my friends!”

“I understand,” said Luciano fiercely. “Do you know how hard it was for me to realize that I wouldn’t be able to see my friends again?”

“But you figured it out! There’s still a way for you to come back here! I never can!”

“You’re not as okay with this as you thought you would be, are you, Aaron?” asked Luciano calmly.

“No,” Aaron whispered.

“It’s all right to be pissed, to be angry. To feel everything you’re feeling right now. You never really got a chance to say good-bye to Riley. You didn’t know that the last time you saw Riley would be the last time.” Tom met eyes with Luciano. “Look, it was the same way with Lucien. The last time I saw him, I knew it was a possibility that I would never go anywhere with him again, I just didn’t realize he would go into a coma. I thought I’d have time to say good-bye.”

“We’re all here for you, Aaron,” said Luciano. “I won’t be there as much as I would like, but I’ll try and get out. Visit you. And everyone else in the kitchen, they’ll be here for you too.” Luciano paused, knowing he was about to go into dangerous territory. “Aaron.” Aaron looked away, knowing that Luciano was going to bring up his past. A past he wasn’t proud of and didn’t want Tom to find out in this way, but it didn’t look like he was going to have a choice. “Aaron,” Luciano repeated. Aaron kept his gaze to the side. Luciano forced Aaron to meet his eyes. “Just don’t do anything stupid, Aaron. You have people who would be gutted if anything happened to you, and I’d rather not lie to Rodolfo for a couple weeks.”

Aaron nodded. “All right.”

Tom laid a hand on Luciano’s shoulder. “We’ll take care of him, Luce. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

Luciano nodded. “I know. I know I can count on you and Sky and Nick to take care of him.” Luciano turned to Aaron. “And you come visit me whenever you want. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night for me, I want you to know that you can have someone to trust, to talk to, wherever you are.”   

Aaron nodded. “Thanks.”

“Hey,” said Luciano. “It’s what friends are for right?”

“I don’t think any of us are going to care if you wake us and need to talk,” said Tom. “We’re all going to be there if you need us.”

“What I said before, I was right,” said Aaron.

“And what was that?” Tom asked.

“Before we left Brighton and I told you that I thought you had become better friends than Connor, Zak, Blake and Riley ever were, I was right. They never would’ve done any of this for me.” Aaron paused. “Well, they would’ve said it, but they wouldn’t have meant any of it. They would’ve gone back on their word.”

“Well, we’re not going to do that to you,” said Luciano. “We’re not them. We’re different, and we’re all going to get through this.”

“I know,” said Aaron. “And I know that you mean what you say.” He scowled. “Unlike them.” He paused. “What do you think would happen if I threw them all off the bridge?”

Luciano had to force down a laugh. “I don’t think it would be good for any of us. Certainly not me. I already had one of those experiences, and it wasn’t fun. I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on anyone.”

Tom couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. “Of course you wouldn’t. You’re too caring about the people in your life.”

“Since when was that a crime?” asked Luciano.

“Fair point,” Tom conceded.

***

“What do you think they’re talking about?” asked Sky.

“They’re probably telling Aaron how horrible it is losing people, but you’ll get over it,” said Nick.

“Well is there anyway to hurry it up? I’m bored.”

Nick laughed. “You’re always bored when it doesn’t involve you.”

“Hey!” Sky exclaimed, slightly shoving Nick, so Nick was forced to jump down from the counter.

Nick smiled. “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, I’m just saying it’s one of your not so great qualities.”

“I know.”

“What’s going on?” Sky and Nick turned to the doorway. Luciano, Tom and Aaron had returned and Luciano was leaning against the door.

“Sky’s bored,” Nick reported.

“Thanks for blowing that,” said Sky. He turned to Luciano. “I really wasn’t that bored.”

“You don’t have to lie,” said Luciano. “I’m getting sick of telling people that.”

“Okay, I was bored,” Sky admitted. “Where’s the wrong in that?”

“What was going on in the hall?” asked Nick.

Luciano exchanged glances with Tom and Aaron. “Fine,” said Sky. “Don’t tell me.”

“No,” said Aaron. “It’s all right. They can know.”

“You know you don’t to have to tell,” said Nick. “But we would like to know.”

“I don’t mind telling you guys,” said Aaron. “It’ll be worth it in the end.”

“It…” Luciano started.

“If I don’t tell them now, I don’t know if I ever will,” said Aaron firmly. Luciano nodded, knowing that he had no right telling Aaron when to tell Sky and Nick what had been going on. After all, they’d just all spent two weeks together.

“So,” said Sky.

“Do you remember when we first met last year?” asked Aaron.

“Yeah, the sixth form common room,” said Sky. “We were talking about how we were going to get back to Talia.” He looked at Luciano. “Sorry for abandoning it.”

“I never blamed you for any of that,” said Luciano, straddling a chair. “It was unavoidable. Besides do you have any idea how much havoc I caused all over Talia by killing Niccolo di Chimici? It was good you weren’t there.” Luciano paused. “As dangerous as it is for Stravagante, it was even more dangerous in those months you weren’t there. The Chimici really had it out for us.”

“Fabrizio,” Nick muttered.

Luciano nodded. “I’m still not proud of what I did, but it needed to be done.” He turned to Nick. “He was your brother, but he was too powerful for his own good.”

“I never complained when you killed him,” said Nick. “He and I were never close. I’ve told you this before, but it was always me and Gaetano and Fabrizio and Carlo.”

“I hate to interrupt, but can I please tell you guys what’s going on?” asked Aaron.

“Go on,” said Nick. “We won’t interrupt again.”

“Luciano already know this,” Aaron started, with a glance at Luciano. “But me, him and Tom were best friends. People knew it, they accepted it, but they didn’t know the secret that I was hiding from everyone, including Tom and Luciano. I didn’t tell anyone until Luciano showed up last year demanding to know.” Aaron paused. “I’ve already told you this, but me and Tom got in a huge fight about Luciano. When we got to the funeral, we saw each other. We decided it was stupid to keep fighting. We knew that Luciano wouldn’t have wanted his best friends fighting. We made up.”

“That was a really stupid thing to fight about,” said Tom.

“Yeah,” said Luciano. “It was.” He looked over at Aaron. “You…”

“Please let me just say all this and get it over with,” said Aaron. “It was hard enough telling you when it was only me and you in that hallway.” Luciano nodded. “I ended up never visiting Luciano when he was in the coma. Tom did, but I was too scared I would run into him. I didn’t want to deal with anymore crap.”

“You were thirteen,” said Nick, echoing Luciano’s words from a year ago. “How much crap could you be going through?”

“The fight me and Tom got in. Lucien getting worse. On top of all that, my parents were filing for a divorce, and then I allowed my friend’s older brother to get me into drugs.”

A gasp rippled through the room. Sky couldn’t stop himself. “Are you..?”

“No,” Aaron interrupted. Luciano had tried to ask him the same question when he told him a year ago so Aaron was expecting it. “The day after the funeral, Tom came over to my house to forgive me. He caught me about to do it.” Tom met Aaron’s eyes. “I never thanked you for that.”

“You didn’t need to,” said Tom. “I could see the fear and relief in your eyes. I had to stop you. I hated seeing you so angry and powerful, but powerless at the same time.”

“You weren’t the only one who hated seeing me like that,” replied Aaron. “Do you have any idea how hard is it hiding so much from your parents?”

“Yes,” said Luciano. “I hid so much stuff from my parents. I never told them the full story about Talia. I told them parts because they had to understand why I was here when I had died in this world four years ago. They still don’t know that I saved Silvia’s life, they don’t know I’ve killed both Niccolo and Fabrizio d’Chimici…” Luciano trailed off. “I told them the bare minimum. They have no idea how much my life is in danger in Talia. I was in enough danger from dying here. I don’t think they could live with me dying again. It was hard enough on them the first time.”

“There wasn’t any need for you tell them any of that,” said Nick. “I’m not so sure they would’ve understood anyway. You kind of have to meet the Chimici before you decide what they’re really like.”

“I didn’t have to meet them,” said Luciano darkly. “From the second Rodolfo started talking about them, I knew a run-in with them would be dangerous for me.”

“I wish I had your powers of deduction,” said Nick. “It would’ve been oh so useful.”

“It’s not exactly something I can teach,” said Luciano. “But it’s definitely more useful in Talia than it ever was here.”        

“Why don’t I have a hard time believing that?” asked Sky.

“Because we all know it to be the truth,” said Nick.

***

“Shouldn’t you be heading back?” asked Aaron. It was getting dark, but Aaron knew that the question was crazy before it even left his mouth.

“No,” said Luciano. “I don’t care what happens.” He paused. “Honestly, once I get back, I think they’re going to be angry whether I go home now or later. It’s not going to make very much of a difference.”

“You might not think so,” said Sky, darkly.

“Stop,” said Luciano. “I came here to help you. I can just as easily never come back.” He paused. “I might as well make the most of it. I have a funny feeling I’m not going to be allowed to come back for a while. If you do ever call me, it had better be an emergency. If you just need to talk, you’re going to have to come with me.”

“I’d like that,” said Aaron. “I’d like to go back to Bellezza and Giglia.”

“Well Giglia will certainly be safe now with Gaetano as Grand Duke of Tuschia,” said Nick. “At least now there’s a family member I trust in a position of power.”

“What…?” Aaron started to ask.

“I can tell what you’re about to ask, Aaron,” said Nick, cutting across Aaron’s words. “And I have no idea what I’d be doing if I stayed there. All I know is that coming here was the only way I was ever going to get to live a normal life.”

“I understand,” said Aaron. “You might not think any of us understand, but we do.” He looked around at the group of people. “We all have the same issues here. We all have things we’ve never told anyone. Things that for one reason or another we’ve kept from each other. I’ve shared more about my life with you than I ever wanted to or thought I would be comfortable with sharing. You helped me get there.”

“Do you have any idea what I would’ve given to have what you four have when I lived here?” asked Luciano, ignoring the fact that the fourth member of the group to whom he was referring wasn’t there. “Do you have any idea how much jealousy I still hold for you?” He paused. “It’s terrible, I know, but it’s there.”

“Don’t count yourself out of this, Luciano,” said Nick. “You’re still one of us.”

Luciano looked at Nick. “I know.”

“As long as you know it and you never forget it,” said Nick.

“Don’t worry,” said Luciano. “I have no plans of ever forgetting about you.”

“You better not,” said Tom, fiercely. “And you better come back here and visit.”

“I’ll come back as soon as Rodolfo lets me.” Luciano paused, thinking. “Though now that I think about it, there’s probably a very likely chance that he’s going to ban me from coming.”

“We’ll just have to cause something that makes it impossible for you not to come,” said Sky.

“Whatever you’re thinking, Sky, don’t go all Fabrizio d’Chimici on us,” said Luciano.

“I’m nothing like Fabrizio,” said Sky, firmly. “None of us are.”

“As long as I don’t come back to a killing spree I’m good,” said Luciano.

“How do you know Cesare didn’t go on one?” asked Nick.

“If Cesare had been thinking about doing it, don’t you think he would’ve done it already?” asked Luciano. “His motivation would’ve been Paolo dying as a side affect of Fabrizio’s punishment.”

“You never know,” said Nick. “The Nucci always waited until we least expected it.”

Luciano, Sky and Nick didn’t have to question each other. They all knew what was going through each other’s minds: the Chimici weddings.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

“Can I be worried yet?” Arianna erupted, walking into Rodolfo’s laboratory.

“I wouldn’t,” Rodolfo replied.

“When can I start worrying? Hasn’t it been long enough?”

“Pazienza, mi figlia. He’ll be back.”

Arianna barely resisted rolling her eyes. “You know patience isn’t my strong point.”

“Of course I do.”

"Then…”

“It’s not like he can stay forever, Arianna.”

“I thought you were angry with him too.”

“Believe me, I am.”

“Then why am I the only one showing it right now?”

“You’ll see when he comes back, trust me.”

“I have trust issues. It’s what tends to happen when you believe one thing for nearly sixteen years, and then everything you thought was the truth is suddenly torn away from you.”

Rodolfo looked at Arianna over the sheaf of parchment he was currently occupied with. “I thought you’d gotten over that a long time ago.”

“I am over it,” said Arianna, darkly. “But it tends to come out when I get angry.”

“I can tell.”

Arianna resisted rolling her eyes. She couldn’t understand why Rodolfo was acting so laid back about a situation that just a few days before he’d been about as concerned about Luciano as she was. “Aren’t you concerned?”

Rodolfo sighed. He’d known that this was where Arianna wanted to carry the conversation. He set the sheaf of parchment down on his desk, internally admitting to the fact that getting back to work was going to be impossible. “Of course I am.”

“Then show it,” said Arianna. “I can’t believe your lack of concern.”

“Sit down,” said Rodolfo. Arianna ungracefully plunked herself down in the seat on the other side of Rodolfo’s desk. “Let me explain something to you.” He paused. “I do care about Luciano. I care about him more than I care to admit, but there’s a limit to how much control I or Dottore Crinamorte have over him.”

“So you’re telling me that I should stop worrying? That everything will be fine?”

“It would be in your best interests to stop worrying so much.”

“I’ll stop worrying if it’ll make you happy.”

“It’s just advice. You don’t have to listen to it if you don’t want to.”

“I know, but I think it would help.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I think you’re right. I do need to stop worrying. There are moments where I forget that he’s been in university in Padavia. That he’s lived here for four years. That he’s no longer the fifteen-year-old I met before all this started. I forget that he knows Bellezza nearly as well as I do, and that he’s had experiences that I never will.”

“You have your background. The background that not many people in your position have. You can use the background Silvia gave you to your advantage. You need to stop…”

“Rodolfo? Arianna?” Rodolfo turned his gaze past Arianna and Arianna turned to face the doorway. Standing there, leaning against the doorframe like he’d been there the entire time was Cesare.

“Cesare?” asked Arianna.

“What are you doing here?” asked Rodolfo at nearly the same time.

“It’s Luciano,” said Cesare.

“What’s wrong?” asked Arianna, her voice cautious.

“He’s back.”

***

“Just don’t make me come back to a killing spree,” Luciano warned.

“I’ll make sure,” said Tom, giving Luciano a hug. “Just visit again, okay?”

“You know I will,” said Luciano. “I just don’t know when.”

“We don’t need to know the when,” said Nick. “Just that you will.”

“That I can definitely promise.”

“Thanks for helping me get through telling them about all the crap I went through,” said Aaron.

“Hey, I know what going through crap can be like. I was glad to help you.” Luciano looked around at the group. “I’ll see you soon. Here or there, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“You better talk Rodolfo into letting you come back here. I’m the only one who can’t go to Bellezza to visit you,” said Tom.

“I’d better remedy that as soon as Rodolfo can stand being in the same room with me without yelling.”

“Buona fortuna,” said Nick. “Try not to get in any more sword fights with the di Chimici, okay?”

Luciano smiled. “I’ll try, but your family has a habit of getting on my bad side.”

Nick laughed. “I see your point.”

“You’ll have to come to Giglia when we aren’t in the middle of a massacre,” said Sky. “It really is quite enjoyable most of the time.”

“I’ll remember that,” said Luciano. “And bring Georgia with you.”

“That reminds me,” said Sky. “Should we tell her about any of this?”

“No,” said Luciano, emphatically. “I don’t want Georgia to know what happened to us in Brighton. She doesn’t need to ever know.”

“She never will,” said Aaron, firmly.

Luciano allowed himself to drift off to sleep. His friends surrounded him, keeping watch over him until he disappeared.

“I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to him doing that,” said Tom.

“Come on,” said Sky. “I told Georgia we’d met her today.”

“I don’t really fathom being skinned alive by her,” said Nick. “Especially after surviving thirteen years of life in the sixteenth century.”

“We’ll also have to come up with a lie about where we’ve been,” said Aaron.

“Don’t worry,” said Sky. “I’ve got that part covered.”

***

“What?” asked Arianna. She wasn’t sure if she should believe what Cesare was saying. “Where is he? How is he? Where…?”

“Put the boy out of his misery, Arianna, and let him speak,” said Rodolfo, coming around the desk and leaning against the front of it. Rodolfo met Cesare’s gaze. “Answer her questions, Cesare. Before she explodes.”

“Luciano’s back,” said Cesare. “He’s in his rooms, resting. He’s tired from not getting a decent amount of sleep for two weeks straight. But given everything, he’s as well as can be expected.”

“When can I see him?” asked Arianna, trying to restrain herself.

“Dottore Crinamorte has already got a doctor in to see him, one who understands Stravagation and its effects on the body. He’s on very limited physical activity at the moment, but you should be able to visit him,” Cesare turned to Rodolfo. “You too, Rodolfo,” Cesare added with a graceful incline of his head.

“Thank you, Cesare,” said Rodolfo. He looked at Arianna, who nodded. “I’m sure you’re just as worried about Luciano as we are. You may return to him.”

“Ringraziamento, senatore,” said Cesare, inclining his head again. He left the room.

“Arianna, I know you want to see Luciano, but I must ask you to hold off for a minute.”

“Why?”

“I would like to speak with him. In private, for just a few moments.”

“Are you going to yell at him?” asked Arianna.

***

“Were you out of your mind?” Rodolfo snapped five minutes later, as he stood at the foot of Luciano’s bed.

“Probably,” Luciano muttered.

“Were you even thinking about what might have happened? Were you even thinking about what all of us here would think when you were gone?”

“I…”

“Don’t try to explain it to me! I’ve heard it all before, and I don’t want to hear it again! What did you think you were doing there? Helping them? Did you think you could be that much more of a help there than here? Do you know what you even missed here? Your friend Cesare came to us while you were away, begging to stay. Something about a stepmother who didn’t care about him now that his father was dead. Something about how he didn’t think he could stay in the Twelfth of the Ram, or even Remora for that matter. We’ve all been worried about you. We had no idea where you were.

“Do you have any idea what was going through our minds? When you didn’t come back for days we thought you might have died! We had no idea that you were just on a trip with your friends! Did it ever cross your mind to tell us what you were doing in Brighton or even that you were going there? We could have done something to help you! Instead, you went off without telling me, without telling Guglielmo, without telling Arianna, without telling Cesare! Without telling anyone! You shouldn’t do this! I don’t want to have you doing this, Luciano! I had no idea what to think!” Rodolfo ran a hand through his hair, and sat next to Luciano on the bed. Luciano had turned away from Rodolfo during his rant. Rodolfo sighed. “Luciano, look at me.”

“Are you going to yell at me again?” asked Luciano, keeping his face stubbornly away from Rodolfo’s.

“No. The yelling is over with. For now. Who knows what Arianna has up her sleeve.”

Luciano faced Rodolfo. “What was that about Cesare?”

Rodolfo sighed. “My entire rant about you running off to Anglia, and that’s what you get out of it?”

“Tell me.”

“A couple days after you left, Cesare came here, begging to stay. He said that since the death of his father, he wasn’t feeling right in the Twelfth of the Ram.”

“Cesare not feeling right around horses,” Luciano murmured. “There’s definitely something wrong about that picture.”

“I think it more has to do with the fact that he’s never felt right around his stepmother or his half-brothers and half-sisters than it has to do with the Twelfth of the Ram. He wanted to get out of the place and think, so he came here. We’ve allowed him to stay, but he’s your friend, so…”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Rodolfo,” said Luciano. “I’m not going throw one of my best friends in the street. He can stay.”

“That’s why Arianna talked him into staying. She had an idea of what you would do.” Rodolfo paused. “How are you feeling, really? And don’t give me some made up excuse for me to leave you alone.”

Luciano smiled faintly. “I think I learned my lesson with that.”

“Well?”

“Like I want to sleep for a week.”

Rodolfo looked down at him, meeting Luciano’s eyes. “You should know that I’m not going to let you Stravagant again until you’ve recovered from the stunt you just pulled.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

“Luciano.” A harsh voice sounded from the door.

“Brace yourself,” Rodolfo muttered.

“Thanks,” said Luciano.

“I’ll come back in a bit to check on you,” said Rodolfo. He turned to Arianna. “For now, try to not to kill him. I think he’s more tired than he’s letting on.”

Arianna rolled her eyes. “Why would I want to kill him? As far as I know, it’s still in my plans to marry him.”

“Just let him rest as much you can,” said Rodolfo, and left the room.

“You’re so stupid,” said Arianna, sitting in the chair beside Luciano’s bed. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“They needed my help.”

“What were you doing? Saving someone?” asked Arianna with a snort.

“I tried,” Luciano whispered.

“What?” asked Arianna.

“One of Aaron’s friends,” Luciano explained. “He committed suicide after his brother did the same thing. I tried to save him, but I was too late.”

Arianna shifted to sitting on the bed beside Luciano. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, running a hand over Luciano’s messy hair.

“I am too.”

“Is this why you stayed there for so long?”

“Aaron needed me. Even though he hadn’t seen his friend in two years, he wasn’t coping with it well.”

Arianna sighed. “So you took Aaron’s well-being over your own?”

“I didn’t realize I was going to be there for so long!” Luciano snapped. “I didn’t realize this was going to happen!” Luciano paused. “I should’ve been thinking, but I wasn’t. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” said Arianna. “You were doing what you thought was right. You were helping your friend. You shouldn’t be punished for helping a friend.” Arianna stood up. “I’m going to go make sure Rodolfo knows why you were pushing yourself to the limits of what you should be pushing yourself to.” She brushed a strand of hair out of Luciano’s face. “Do you think you can deal with Cesare now or should I tell him that you need the rest and he can talk to you later?”

“No,” said Luciano. “I’d like to talk to him.”

“Do you think you’re going to be stressing yourself if you do?”

“I don’t think so, but I’ll make sure to send Cesare away if I need to.”

“Can I trust you to do that?”

“Yes.”

“Try to at least relax a little while I go get Cesare.”

Luciano nodded, while Arianna left. A couple minutes later Cesare walked in. He looked at Luciano, hesitation in his eyes.

“It’s all right,” said Luciano. “Come here.”

Cesare approached Luciano, the slightest bit of caution still about him. “How are you doing?”

“All right. I’m pretty tired.”

Cesare nodded. “You should get some sleep.”

He stood, making to leave, but Luciano reached out and grabbed his arm. Cesare looked back. “I need to tell you something.” Cesare sat back down, trying to keep the worry off his face. “Don’t worry,” said Luciano. “I just want to let you know that you can stay here. Rodolfo told me about what happened in Remora, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you. I’m sorry Teresa made you feel so unwelcome. She didn’t have the right to make you feel that uncomfortable and unwelcome in the house where you grew up, and I know that Bellezza is a far cry from Remora and what you’re used to, just know that as long as I’m here, you can tell yourself that you have a home in Bellezza. You don’t need to be afraid of this anymore. I’ll make sure of it.”

“You…” Cesare started.

“No,” said Luciano. “I want to do this.”

“Thank you.”

“Now get out of here before I collapse from exhaustion and you’re blamed.”

Cesare laughed. “All right, all right, I’m going.” He started for the door and then turned back. “And Luciano? Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: 
> 
> Pazienza, mi figlia - Patience, my daughter
> 
> Buona fortuna - Good fortune
> 
> Ringraziamento, senatore - Thank you so much, senator


End file.
